ful, less, and in between

From: Ben Kelley
Subject: ful, less, and in between

I'm sure you thought I mis-spelled the first word of the title, but what I'm using here is the suffix form. I thought of this as I heard the word "graceful" the other day. We attach suffixes to words to convey the meaning of quantity. The word I just mentioned, "grace-ful," for instance, would normally mean we thought the person described possessed a lot of grace, or beauty of motion, in the way they moved. If we say something like, "that is a thankless job," we mean that one doing it will receive little, if any, thanks when it is completed. A person can be described as beauti-ful, brain-less, spite-ful, flaw-less, etc. The "ful" or "less" suffix implies the amount of that particular quality or attribute we believe they have.

I would like to apply that to us as believers. Scripture tells us we are "grace-ful", in that God gives us all the grace we need. We are not "grace-less." For that reason, we should be "thank-ful," and not "thank-less." God sees us not as "beauty-less," but "beauti-ful," for HE sees us through the blood of His Son. We are not "power-less" against the enemy of our souls, we are "power-ful," for the very Spirit of God dwells within us. We are not "penny-less," we are "penny-full," for our God has promised to supply all our need. The world we live in may seem "God-less" and "hope-less," but indeed it is "hope-ful" and "God-ful," because we are here with the Good News of His saving grace. Because our God is God, we are not "less" or anywhere in between, we are "full." Let us not be "praise-less," but "praise-ful."

Praise Him! Praise Him! Jesus, our blessèd Redeemer!
Sing, O Earth, His wonderful love proclaim!
Hail Him! hail Him! highest archangels in glory;
Strength and honor give to His holy Name!
Like a shepherd, Jesus will guard His children,
In His arms He carries them all day long:

Praise Him! Praise Him!
Tell of His excellent greatness.
Praise Him! Praise Him!
Ever in joyful song!

Praise Him! Praise Him! Jesus, our blessèd Redeemer!
For our sins He suffered, and bled, and died.
He our Rock, our hope of eternal salvation,
Hail Him! hail Him! Jesus the Crucified.
Sound His praises! Jesus who bore our sorrows,
Love unbounded, wonderful, deep and strong.

Praise Him! Praise Him! Jesus, our blessèd Redeemer!
Heav’nly portals loud with hosannas ring!
Jesus, Savior, reigneth forever and ever.
Crown Him! Crown Him! Prophet, and Priest, and King!
Christ is coming! over the world victorious,
Pow’r and glory unto the Lord belong.