Another great post from The Life I Didn’t Choose (thelifeididntchoose.com). The author, a bereaved parent, addresses issues of value to every committed follower of Christ.
For our momentary, light distress [this passing trouble] is producing for us an eternal weight of glory [a fullness] beyond all measure [surpassing all comparisons, a transcendent splendor and an e…
(Clink on the link highlighted in red below to read the complete article.)
Source: Perspective – thelifeididntchoose
(Facebook Post 9/25/15)
My newest coffee cup!
I thought I needed a reminder of who the Lord is and wants to be in my life, so I snatched this mug up when I came across it at the Day Spring Outlet in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, where my daughter is a freshman at John Brown University. Here are the names and definitions on my mug:
Jehovah Nissi – Battle Fighter
Jehovah Jireh – Provider
Jehovah Shalom – Giver of Peace
Jehovah Shammah – Ever Present One
Jehovah Tsidkenn – Our Righteousness
Jehovah Rophe – Healer
Jehovah Rohi – Good Shepherd
I love how The Blue Letter Bible defines each name, providing context and cultural significance as well as scripture references. The names on this mug don’t paint the full picture, but instead provide a concise definition. But the God we serve defies such concise descriptions and we are well served to dig deeper, if we truly want to understand the complex nature and character of God. Follow the link below which provides definitions for every Old Testament name of God.
https://www.blueletterbible.org/study/misc/name_god.cfm
However, to inspire you to get started and give you some idea of the rich meaning of the names of God, here’s how the Blue Letter Bible defines Jehovah:
“Jehovah is translated as “The Existing One” or “Lord.” The chief meaning of Jehovah is derived from the Hebrew word Havah meaning “to be” or “to exist.” It also suggests “to become” or specifically “to become known” – this denotes a God who reveals Himself unceasingly.”
I love that – a God who reveals Himself unceasingly. It gives me hope, not that I will ever completely understand the ways of God, but that He will reveal Himself to me more and more as I struggle through life.
I read where John Piper asked himself what would be the best gift God could give to His children. Piper concluded that of all the things God could choose to bestow upon His children, that His supreme gift could be nothing less than Himself. When you consider the fullness of meaning of the many names of God, to be gifted with the full assurance and comprehension of exactly who God is to you individually is indeed an extravagant gift beyond compare.
Some days I need God the Giver of Peace more than I need God the Battle Fighter. And other days, I need God the Provider most. But the best part is that every single day God gifts me with His full character and nature. I get all of Him every day. And day by day, over weeks, months and years, He reveals more and more of Himself to me – or rather, I finally recognize what He had been showing me about Himself from day one.
So maybe this mug will remind me to open the eyes of my heart and be on the lookout everyday for God to reveal Himself, in all His glory, to me.
(Originally published on Facebook on 11/25/14)
I have to admit, I hate this verse and I’m not alone. Romans 8:28 can be a thorn in the flesh to a grieving heart. Actually, it’s not the verse I hate – it’s the way we brandish it about. When grief is fresh – when it is a raw, throbbing ache in the heart of a believer, this verse stings – like salt rubbed into an open wound. While we realize it is true, it often “feels” trite. Those who mourn need a little time for the wound to scab over. Time to recognize God’s faithfulness in the midst of the storm. Time to gain a broader perspective, in order to embrace this verse and the encouragement it is intended to offer.
Maybe enough time has passed. I’ve certainly seen God’s faithfulness. Not so sure I’ve really gained a broader perspective as of yet, but this verse, in this moment anyway, doesn’t sting so much. (Although it still might not be a good one to share with me for the next six months or so).
Maybe it’s less offensive in print than when it’s spoken. When I encounter it in print there’s no need to school my features should it fall on a less receptive heart at that particular moment in time. When spoken in conversation, well, there’s an audience present to judge and evaluate my response, and that audience always has an expectation that I will whole-heartedly agree. But those who grieve live with rapidly shifting emotions. Up and down, moments of overwhelming thankfulness to God followed by despair and feelings of abandonment. In terms virtually every woman can relate to (men not so much and thank your lucky stars for that!), I’d describe it as emotional & spiritual PMS. There are concepts I admittedly wrestle with before embracing. Sometimes I enter a cycle where I struggle with a concept, embrace it only to bump up against it again and begin to struggle my way through it once more. Maybe God is spoon feeding it to me in bite-sized pieces so I can chew and swallow without choking. Regardless, there are times when my response to a Biblical truth runs counter to expectation. I will often school my features in those moments for a number of reasons – most common of all though is to avoid becoming the object of gossip. I don’t believe grief was ever intended to be a spectator sport and armchair quarterbacks are no more appreciated on this field of play than they are in any other arena.
But I’ve drifted from my intended purpose, the curse of verbal processor (or the ADD thinker as you may prefer to think of me).
What I intended to say is that this blog post, You Can Never be Undone, is a good read. Ann Voskamp has a gift for weaving a message around one or two concise and profound sentences – basically giving me a sound bite I can meditate on. I think John Piper said something to the effect that it’s not books or paragraphs that change or impact lives, but sentences. Therein lies Ann’s gift in my opinion, the simple sentence. Anyway, I stole a few of those from this post and rearranged the order in a way that spoke to me. Maybe they will speak to you as well.
“You can never be undone.
No matter what intends to harm you, God’s arms have you.
You can never be undone.
No matter what intends to harm you … God is never absent, never impotent, never distant.
You can never be undone.
What was intended to tear you apart, God intends it to set you apart.
Whatever happens, whatever unfolds, whatever unravels,
you can never be undone.” ~ Ann Voskamp
John Piper got this exactly right and although it was written especially to address a mother grieving the loss of a stillborn child, he addresses issues true for anyone who grieves the loss of a loved one. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/letter-to-a-parent-grieving-the-loss-of-a-child
(Facebook Post 9/8/15)
Boxx Banter 