What a silly question, yet we ask it all the time. Maybe we ask it because we can't really figure out what "Up" is to begin with? With that in mind, I wanted to share something that I came across a while back. I'm not sure who wrote it, but I hope it cracks you UP.

Up. It's one of the shortest words in our vocabulary, but we use it in so many different ways. UP is listed in the dictionary as an [adv], [prep], [adj], [n] or [v]. 

It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP?

At at meeting, why does a topic come UP? Why do we speak UP, and why are politicians UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report? We call UP our friends, brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver, warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP the house and fix UP the old car.

At other times, this little word has real special meaning. People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite and think UP excuses.

To be dressed is one thing but to be dressed UP is special.

And this UP is confusing: A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP.

We open UP a store in the morning but we close UP at night. We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP!

To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP, look UP the word UP in the dictionary. If you use an actual book dictionary, it will usually take UP to almost 1/4 of the page and can add UP to about thirty definitions.

If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used. It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don't give UP, you may wind UP with a hundred or more.

When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP. When the sun comes out, we say it is clearing UP. When it rains, it soaks UP the earth. When it does not rain for awhile, things dry UP. One could go on and on, but I'll wrap it UP, for now....my time is UP and I know by now most of you would like for me to shut UP!

But one more thing: our Lord Jesus said, "When I am lifted UP, I will draw all men to Myself." (John 12:32). He was indeed lifted UP on the cross, to die for our sins, and then He was raised UP on the third day, to defeat death and grant us life eternal. He's coming back soon....so, look UP!

I'm praying for you, as I hope you are for me, and I look forward to seeing you Sunday. Have a blessed weekend. 

--Pastor Ken