Welcome to my randomized study & miscellaneous thoughts about the Awesome God of the universe, who He is and what He wants us to be.

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Verse of the Day

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Today's Quote

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What’s In a Name

Okay, so as I wrote before, I tend to view myself in terms of what I do or what I’ve done. But in order to be anchored, I need a perspective of myself that is unchanging by my situations, circumstances or actions. A perspective that sees all of me all the time. I need a “God-view” of myself. Which leads to the question, “What does He say about me?”

When studying this topic myself, I came across three very interesting passages in the Bible that really spoke to my heart about this issue. Following is a little of what I took away from this.

Named By God

Imagine being 99 years old with one young son and having God say that you’d be the father of many! At 99 years of age, Abram had another encounter with God. At that time, Abram had moved his household from his homeland of Ur on God’s word. Abram’s name means “exalted father” and was his name even before the birth of Ishmael when Abram was childless. During this encounter, God confirmed His covenant of blessings to Abram. God also renamed him to Abraham, meaning “father of many” or “father of a multitude.” God, who can see the beginning of time and the end knows what is around the corner in our lives. I take away from this that my faith is to be in what God has said about me and my future and not what I can see and perceive. Ephesians 3:14-15 says, “14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name.” My Father in heaven knows me and calls me by a name of His choosing. I desire to believe in what He calls me.
Genesis 17

Faithful & Blessed By God

The book of Daniel starts out with a very interesting account of four young men, kidnapped from Jerusalem and held captive by the king of Babylon which is current day Iraq. Young men of wealthy or noble birth were taken captive and trained to become employees of some sort to serve the king.

They were of the children of Judah, the royal tribe, and probably of the house of David, which had grown a numerous family; and God told Hezekiah that of the children that should issue from him some should be taken and made eunuchs, or chamberlains, in the palace of the king of Babylon. The prince of the eunuchs changed the names of Daniel and his fellows, partly to show his authority over them and their subjection to him, and partly in token of their being naturalized and made Chaldeans. Their Hebrew names, which they received at their circumcision, had something of God, or Jah, in them: Daniel—God is my Judge; Hananiah—The grace of the Lord; Mishael—He that is the strong God; Azariah—The Lord is a help. To make them forget the God of their fathers, the guide of their youth, they give them names that savour of the Chaldean idolatry. Belteshazzar signifies the keeper of the hidden treasures of Bel; Shadrach —The inspiration of the sun, which the Chaldeans worshipped; Meshach — Of the goddess Shach, under which name Venus was worshipped; Abed-nego, The servant of the shining fire, which they worshipped also. (from Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary)

So, the Babylonians took these men, renamed them after their own gods and then attempted to feed them with items that were against God’s requirements for the Hebrew people. But Daniel 1 says, “8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. 9 Now God had caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel,” So Daniel stood firm in his obedience to God, and God caused the official to look upon him with favor. And what was the result of Daniel’s obedience??? Verses 15-17 tell us the answer to that question. “15 At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. 16 So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead. 17 To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.” So, I will lean upon God’s knowledge! Psalm 111:10 states, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.”

Though the world, fellow employees, family members or friends may say that I am one thing, I choose to listen to God and what He says I am, what I am becoming and eternally what He has already made me to be! I am a saint because He says so, His Son’s blood allowed it to be. If I act or believe any differently, I am contradicting God…and who do you think will win that argument? :-)
Daniel 1

Touched By God

Oh, how I want to me touched by God. Led by Him, guided by Him, used by Him. That’s probably not a new thought for many of us…throughout man’s history we’ve longed to restore, rebuild and regain the intimate relationship that was originally intended by God. The issue is that we’ve tried to get close to God on our own terms, in our own strength and methods. But He says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” (Proverbs 14:12)

But another story in the Old Testament shows us that God can reach out and touch us and change us so that we’re never the same again. Found in Genesis, chapter 32, it’s a tale of Jacob. Jacob who connived with his mom to trick his nearly blind father and steal his brother’s inheritance. Jacob, who had to run off so his brother wouldn’t harm him. Jacob, who was tricked by his uncle Laban into first marrying the wrong daughter and then had to work as a herdsman for Laban for 14 years in order to marry the right daughter. Jacob, whose name means “he grasps the heel” (figuratively, he deceives ) was himself deceived and used by Jacob.

But in this passage of the Bible, we see Jacob returning home with his entire family and flocks in tow. Before he meets his brother and asks for forgiveness, he spends some alone time with God. We read Genesis 32, verses 22-28:

22 That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. 24 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. 26 Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak." But Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me." 27 The man asked him, "What is your name?" "Jacob," he answered. 28 Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, [e] because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome."

No longer was he “Jacob” the deceiver. Instead, he was now “Israel” or “he struggles with God.” And note how the encounter changed him physically as well. Jacob…errrr… Israel would walk away from this encounter with a physical reminder of God. Couldn’t an angel easily overpower a mere man? Of course he could. So why didn’t the angel do so? Was it to allow Jacob the opportunity to wrestle or flee? Fight or flight? Here was an opportunity to run away again or stand up and be the man that God wanted to use.

Does Jacob’s being given a new name have the same meaning to us that Jesus meant in Revelations 3:12 when He instructed John to write, “Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name”? I don’t know.

I do know that God has said that whoever wants to find Him, will do so. Whomever wants to draw nearer to God will find God drawing nearer to them. He instructs us to ask for wisdom to be given it. We see those with little faith asking Him for more faith and receiving it. “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7. It’s not that I (or we) don’t want to be touched by God. Maybe it’s that we’re afraid. Afraid that we aren’t deserving (ummm, we’re not. Only Jesus is). Afraid of what God may ask us to do. Afraid of the unknown. That’s me many times. I just keep trying to trust Him, knowing that He loves me dearly and has the best plan anyone could ever devise for my life. So, I will continue to try to listen to Him, walk closer with Him and demonstrate my love to Him daily. I will, like Jacob, try to grasp ahold of God and never, ever let go! And if He should choose to change my name to “Bubba” or “Ingrid” or even “John Jacob Jingleheimersmidt”, I’ll be blessed and honored – because He knows who I am better than I do. He knows you too. Climb into His loving arms today, curl up with His love letters in the Bible and see what He may say about who you are, you mat be surprised – but I pray not disappointed!
scribbled with crayon by dr. larry at 12:27 AM