The Power of a Conjunction: but

Have you ever thought about the power of a conjunction?  A conjunction connects words, phrases, or clauses.  It builds bridges between words, pathways linking words that may have otherwise never been united.  One of my favorite popular and powerful conjunctions is but.  A sentence can skip along in one direction, then with the addition of one little conjunction, the meaning can stop and march the other way. 

Really.  It’s that powerful.  Here is an example.  I want to give you half of the million dollars I just won in a contest, but I already spent it all.  See?  You were already planning a dinner of filet mignon until you got to that but, now you’re thinking grilled cheese.

God really makes great use of that crazy little conjunction. Just when we think things aren’t looking good, God throws in a but.

I was pushed back and about to fall, but the Lord helped me.  Psalms 118:13 NIV

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.  Matthew 16:25 NIV

I am a sinner.  The debt I owe is great, but Jesus paid it all.  I like the sound of that.  My life is the sentence.  I was skipping off one way.  Asking Jesus in my life threw a but into my life, and now I’m marching in a whole new direction.  That seemingly insignificant conjunction made a bridge between the path I was traveling and the true path God created for me. 

Do you have a run-on sentence trailing off in the wrong direction?  Just ask God for his merciful conjunction, and turn yourself around.  

With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.  Matthew 19:26 NIV