That Kind of THAT!

With the coming of Valentine’s Day yesterday, I couldn’t help but to reminisce over many of the special times that Piper and I enjoyed together over the 48 years of our relationship together… from our teenage days into our Senior years.  And as is usual for me, I found myself focusing in the wonderful 2-night holidays that we enjoyed alone throughout our marriage.  These getaways normally found us at different lodges along the beautiful Sonoma County California coast but on occasion, we also made it further north into Mendocino County.

I know that I’ve said it before, but I always enjoyed presenting my lovely wife with a special gift of clothing once we checked into our room for our stay.  Most times it was sleepwear, but I also recall a sharp outfit that caught my attention at JC Penny’s on my lunch hour one day that I thought was absolutely made for her.  It consisted of a casual pair of white dress shorts, matched with a white blouse, dotted with flowers. 

And a few years later, I also remember purchasing a pair of designer jeans for her… that after I wrapped them up… began to be concerned that they would be too small.  She was normally easy to shop for, as all I had to do was find the smallest size available.  But this time I realized that she normally wore a size 6 jeans and these were a 5!  But you know?  They fit her perfectly!

And as I thought back on those times, I realized that I don’t remember her ever presenting me with a gift… except for that of herself… and I couldn’t have asked for anything else!  With her devotion to homeschooling, church activities and just being a wife and mom… we never seemed to have much time alone together during the week.  She was one busy woman!  But when we took off to the coast together… she was all mine!  I had her undivided attention… and she had mine!

Once back at home and then throughout the rest of the year, whenever she wore one of the gifts I had given her on our holiday times together, she’d give me ‘THAT’ special look that said it all concerning our love for each other, and I couldn’t help but to smile and proudly think, “Hey, THAT’s my wonderful wife” and then get lost for moment in time, warmly reconnecting to our love and devotion to each other, highly anticipating our future… and especially looking forward to our next jaunt to the coast!

If you recall last week’s blog post, we talked of how the Scriptures point to Jesus Himself as being the TRUTH in this world.  Then we looked at John 14:6 when Jesus confirmed this TRUTH by responding to His disciple’s request for wisdom by saying,

“I AM the WAY the TRUTH, and the LIFE. No one goes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6-God’s Word ©) 

As I continued to study this verse throughout the week, I felt led to turn back to the Old Testament when God used similar terminology as He told Moses who He was and how to talk to the children of Israel about Him.  In Exodus 3:14 God replied to Moses’ questions by declaring,

“I AM THAT I AM: and He said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.” (KJV)

When I read this familiar verse in Exodus this week, I saw something that I had never seem before.  I realized that the word ‘THAT’ is capitalized just like God’s reference to Himself as being the “I AM.”  This discovery told me two things.  First, that the word ‘THAT’ is part of God’s official name and title and secondly, that it is just as important as the words “I AM”!

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Definitions tells us that the word ‘THAT’ as translated in this verse is used as an “Object Clause.”  Well… I had to look that one up!  So, low and behold, I found a website entitled “Mr. K’s Grammer Planet”* where I learned that “The relative pronoun (THAT) replaces the object of the original clause.”  Which serves to confirm the importance of the word in this verse.

So… with my new-found knowledge, I found myself reading the verse with more emphasis on the word ‘THAT’… and it came out as God (and Jesus, years later) saying,

“I Am THAT (one and only) I Am!”

In Jesus’ case, I use the more descriptive version of John 14:6 as stated in the Remedy Bible along with my own descriptive aids to better explain my thoughts as,

“Jesus answered gently, “I AM (THAT one and only I AM Who is) the WAY back to my Father. I AM (THAT one and only I AM Who is) the TRUTH revealing my Father’s character and the principles upon which life is based; I AM (THAT one and only I AM Who is) the Source of all LIFE.  (and) I AM (THAT one and only I AM Who is) the BRIDGE, and no one comes to the Father except through me—because all truth revealing the Father has been provided by me.”  

When I read these “I AM” verses in both the Old and New Testaments, I sense that Jesus wants to be ‘THAT’ I AM - Who we each, individually know (through regular personal interaction and experience) as THE ONE Who blesses us by being FAITHFUL, LOVING and TRUE to His Word… throughout the entirety of our lives on this earth.

And you know what this sort of reminds me of?  My interactions with my wife (Yes! ‘THAT’ wonderful wife of mine) as I blessed her with special gifts on our 2-night holidays together… and especially as I got ‘THAT’ special look of appreciation the rest of the year, that was dripping with love and affection…

That is the same ‘THAT’ look of love and affection that Jesus asks in return from you and me… for the regular BLESSINGS that He, through His LOVE and FAITHFULNESS toward us (by His GRACE), sends into our lives!

Is Jesus and His Word ‘THAT’ Special One that you brag about to your friends and family?  He sure wants to be!

Have a great weekend!  The meteorologist on our local Tulsa TV station (channel 6) told us to enjoy the warm weather today as it is about to plummet down into negative windchills this week – complete with a nice depth of snow!  So, Fiver and I just took a leisurely walk in the (relatively) warm day (wind chills of 35) and are ready for the week ahead… which begins with a teeth cleaning and extraction for Fiver on Monday morning!

I guess that it is just another opportunity to thank the great “I AM” - Who is ‘THAT’ “I AM” - Who is always faithful to me and mine… and to YOU and Yours as well!

 

*https://mrksgrammarplanet.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/3-Object-Clauses.pdf