Damn it, or Darn it?

It is always entertaining to me, when people attempt to change their language in "mid-speak", just because they realize they are in the presence of a pastor. (as if we don't slip occaisonally!) You hear some of the most bizarre words created on the fly. Usually it is something like shiiiiiioooouuut, or.. well never mind, you know how creative you all can get.

Recently, I heard such a utterance, as the person went from "damn it" to "darn it". I laughed as usual, but then thought about it - and realized that was, in fact, a pretty neat prayer, that replaces a pretty nasty curse.

You see, "damn it", is what they call an imperative sentence. It is not a request to be considered, but a call for immediate reaction. The person we are calling/demanding an immediate reaction from, is no less than the Creator of the Universe. We are asking God to let lose His wrath on that thing/person/event, without realizing the terrible thing we ask Him to do.

In replace of that, consider the phrase, "Darn it!" If I remember my olde english, darn is the word that is used for mending things. Socks seem to stick in my mind, as I picture some grandmotherly type lady, sitting by a roaring fire, with crochet needles, fixing the myriad of holes put in the socks by her over-active grandchildren.

To ask God to "darn it" then, is a plea for Him to get involved in your life, to fix that which is bothering us, or better yet, to fix us! Most of those things that cause us to reflect in frustration are not that serious, but for some reason, we take them to be. The jammed printer, the last minute phone call interuppting dinner, the battery on the car dead - do any of these really, long term effect us? No.

But we have a God who can see us through frustrations, who can cause us to grow in patience (don't ask how this is done - you may not like it) and more importantly, in faith. Faith being our trust in Him, to proivde us all that we need, forgiveness, eternal life, and the assurance that the frustating thing in front of us, cannot seperate us from His live in Christ (see Romans 8:28)

More than that, God was at work, "darning" our lives, nearly 2000 years ago. At the cross, the hole-filled lives that we have created, by our over-active sinful nature, was repaired. Our "socks"/lives, were made whole and useful again, by the Blood of Christ.

So yes, call out - loud and clear - DARN IT, LORD, and sit back in faith, knowing you have been darned, not damned.