The Eternal One October 21, 2008

We humans want to give God a name. To describe, to understand, to measure, to relate, ultimately to control. This desire is not a new phenomenon. Thousands of years ago Moses stood in God’s presence and asked His CREATOR to define Himself. ‘Whom shall I say sent me?’ God replied, ‘I AM WHO I AM’.

God simply and always IS.

The Hebrew Tetragammon YOD – HEH – VAU – HEH is a description of EXISTENCE – with each of the four letters condensed from the words ‘I was’, ‘I am’, and ‘I will be’. This word sometimes translated as Jehovah in English and considered too holy to utter in Hebrew is less a name than a declaration that the ONE being described is indescribable. He is the ONE who cannot be named.

Who, then, is this ONE we love? He is CREATOR, PROVIDENT, LORD OF HOSTS, KING, REDEEMER, the ONE who SEES. He is the HOLY ONE, the LORD who SANCTIFIES, the COMPASSIONATE. He is our PEACE.

God is Himself the answer to all of life’s questions. Why, then, is life so hard? Partly because our relationship with God is the center of a spiritual battle and is met with brutal opposition. Partly because we hold back. We want to maintain control of our lives and our destinies. In the process we trade our divine birthright for a life of quiet desperation. We settle for a compromise: to keep the status quo and add on a little bit of God.

But God wants it all. The metaphor of Christian baptism is an expression of our desire to give God everything. To dive into His love with reckless abandon, to be caught up in the rush of our living commitment to Him. The song Dive by Stephen Curtis Chapman speaks of God as a deep and compelling river and urges each of us to throw ourselves headlong into the adventure He is calling us to. May you dive in to life with Him.

The Holy One October 4, 2008

Don’t you love a good fire? Fire is unlike anything else in our world. No matter how many fires you build, no matter how long you watch one, it never looks the same. We can’t stare into a fire five minutes without being hypnotized by its magic other-worldliness. We are fascinated by its mesmerizing beauty and terrified by its destructive power.

God’s power and beauty moves us in the same way. His name is HAKKODOSH, the HOLY ONE. He is without rival, unique and utterly perfect. He thoroughly transcends our finite, fallen, imperfect world. Holiness implies differentiation. God alone is HOLY and He alone is worthy of our adoration. He is extraordinary, peerless, awesome, or ‘dreadful’. The wrath and judgement of God is often described as a consuming fire. Listen to this:

The Light of Israel will become a fire,


       their Holy One a flame; 
    

   in a single day it will burn and consume 
 

      his thorns and his briers. (Isaiah 10 – NIV)

And let’s face it, the holiness of God can be intimidating. He is so righteous, so set apart and we are so… well… NOT. Like Isaiah when we come face to face with God’s holiness we fall to our knees with the shocking knowledge of our own unrighteousness. But God in His holiness does not stand far off. His name is ADONAI-M’KADDESH, the Lord who sanctifies. When Isaiah cried out ‘I am a man of unclean lips’ a Seraph descended from the throne of God. He touched Isaiah’s mouth with a burning coal taken from the fire of the altar and his sin was forgiven. God sanctifies His beloved children with fire.

God’s sanctification happens where we least expect it. Our suffering opens us up to God’s righteous-making work. God does not desire or cause our suffering, but in His great love He offers us an option to redeem it. An option to turn weakness into strength. To turn fear into courage. To turn curses into blessings. To turn sorrow into joy.
Listen:

In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
(I Peter 1 – NASB)

Our hope – the inheritance we are obtaining cannot be burned, defiled or destroyed. Our salvation is protected and kept in reserve by the power of God. And the suffering and pain we all endure is itself the refining process that perfects our faith – a substance more valuable than gold.
We all have our share of suffering eventually.  It comes out of nowhere to slap us in the face when we least expect it.  It looks from the outside like some people get a free pass from pain, but looks are deceiving.  You need to know that this burden we all bear is NOT God’s desire.  He has always wanted better for us. In your suffering and pain never forget that God can use your trials to perfect your faith. In fact, even Jesus who was himself without sin learned obedience from the suffering he endured. Listen to this:

Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.
(Hebrews 5 – NIV)

You are free to choose what to do with your pain. You can medicate it, you can run from it, you can rail against it, you can pass it on… OR you can submit it to God and allow Him to redeem it. Don’t waste your pain.

Peace September 30, 2008

We are all so busy. Life’s not called the ‘rat race’ for nothing. For most of us just making it through each day is an accomplishment that requires our undivided attention. We simply have to make things happen or nothing will ever get done. We have to take charge, work it out, suck it up, and git ‘er done. We work hard, play hard, and TRY so very hard. And where is God in all of this? Well, we plan to get to Him when things calm down a bit. When we aren’t so tense, when we have a moment to rest.

So….. consider this your moment. Push out the worries and distraction bouncing around in your mind right now and focus your thoughts on resting in the presence of your LORD.

It’s not always easy, is it? Peace is a gift from God; it cannot be attained by striving for it. Truth is, God does not force His Peace upon us. He respects the boundaries of human autonomy. Unless our cries for help are accompanied by a voluntary yielding, until we cease our frantic activity, God’s Peace waits. While we are capable and in control, we are in the way. When we turn in humility to Him for help, He hears, he turns, responds, and rescues. Like a drowning man who can’t be rescued until he stops struggling, we can’t be saved until we stop trying to save ourselves. Listen to this:

Cease striving and know that I am God.

(Psalm 46 – NASB)


God’s name is ADONAI-SHALOM; He is the LORD Our PEACE. In Him we are whole, finished, fulfilled, perfected, and well. From Him flows the kind of peace that puts things right in our relationships with Him, with each other, and within ourselves. Under the Levitical priesthood the peace offering was the only offering made without sin. It was an expression of the joy of salvation, a sweet savor sacrifice – utterly satisfying to the LORD. Is it any wonder, then that Jesus himself is called our Peace? Listen to this:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
(Phillipians 4 – NASB)

God’s peace is beyond comprehension. God’s peace guards and protects us. God’s name is EL-RACHUM. He is the seat of COMPASSION. Listen to this:

The LORD’S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease,
         For His compassions never fail.
    They are new every morning;
         Great is Your faithfulness.
    ”The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,
         ”Therefore I have hope in Him.”
(Lamentations 3 – NASB)

Did you know the Hebrew word for compassion, RACHUM has the same stem as the word RECHEM which means ‘womb’? God’s compassion accepts us, cradles us, nurtures us, and sustains us. We set our hearts at rest in His presence and in His presence we find our Peace.

The Lord Will Provide September 25, 2008

OK. Relax for a moment. Take a deep breath. Imagine….

You walk into a hotel room and notice the sheets on your bed are already turned down. You are greeted by the fragrance of a bouquet of your favorite flowers. You see a piece of art that stirs and inspires you hanging above the dresser. A song is playing that brings you back to a special time long ago. What do you conclude? Someone who knows you well knew you were coming.

The world we live in is like that hotel room. God knows us well and knew we were coming. Two aspects of the created universe reveal the nature of God: its beauty and its order. Listen to this:
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made. (Romans 1:20 – NKJV)
The creation points to God on every scale. Consider the complex dance of chemistry within the structures of a single human cell. Or the intricate design in the delicate wing of a dragonfly. Can you imagine what it must be like to swim alone alongside a massive blue whale?

Think about what you experience with your senses. Have you ever lost your breath at the view from a mountaintop? Have you been overcome by the powerful rush of a waterfall? When is the last time you were delighted by the warbles and trills of a skylark – or inhaled the intoxicating fragrance of honeysuckles? Have you noticed how the vibrant colors of the autumn leaves stand in contrast to the darkness of tree trunks on a misty day? What does all this stir in you? Someone knew you were coming!

And then there are the things that make you scratch your head and ask ‘really, God!?’ Really now, have you ever really looked in the eyes of a red-eyed tree frog? When’s the last time you considered the economies of a dung beetle? Have you ever tried to throw your arms around a giraffe’s neck? I mean really, have you ever caught a glimpse of a baboon’s butt? It’s enough to make you throw back your head and laugh at creation’s magnificent absurdity.

God knew you were coming today. This moment is for you. God invited you here to be your joyful partner in this day; to whisper words of comfort and of courage.

God’s name is ELOHIM. He is CREATOR. He is PRESERVER, TRANSCENDENT, MIGHTY and STRONG. With every dance the creation sings a hymn of it’s CREATOR. Listen to this:

The ONE who sends an utterance to earth,
whose word runs swiftest in the world,

the giver of a snow like fleece,
who strews a frost like frigid ash,

who casts down hail like crumbs of bread
–before such chill, who can endure?–

but who, with but a word, can melt them all,
and by whose breath the waters flow
(Psalm 147 – KH)

The beauty and order of creation testify that the LORD is GLORIOUS. The joy we receive from creation testifies that the LORD is GOOD, that He delights in giving to His children. God’s name is ADONAI-JIREH, the LORD will PROVIDE.

Listen to this:

Providing with your open hand, you satisfy desire in all life.
So just is God in every way, so loving amid all the divine deeds.
Close by is God to all who call, to all who call to God in truth.
Responding to the yearning of all those who fear, God hears their cry and comes to
rescue them. (Psalm 145, KH)

Yes, God is close by to you, in this very place. Contemplate the glory of ELOHIM as displayed in His creation and remember the generosity of ADONAI-JIREH who provides everything you need.

Great is THE CREATOR, powerful should be our praise.
(Psalm 48, KH)

Lord of the Angel Armies September 13, 2008

This world our God created can be a devastatingly brutal place. Homicide, genocide, infanticide, suicide, child abuse, elder abuse, animal abuse, racism, sexism, agism, human trafficking, famine, disease, oppression, greed, destruction, selfishness and corruption are only a few of the injustices that run rampant in this world. Sometimes injustice comes with a shock like being doused with ice cold water. Sometimes it sneaks up on us like a cancerous growth we’ve ignored for far too long. But make no mistake, injustice touches each and every one of us.

Things are not the way things were meant to be. When the full impact of that truth settles down the natural human response is to cry out to God. Where is He? Does He see? Will He come? Can He even help?

Do not be deceived, our God is a just and jealous God. In His great mercy, He waits, but not forever. We must not fail to recognize God’s fierceness. And we must not, we dare not forget His majesty. But remember this, the weapons of God’s wrath were not meant to be wielded against you, but on your behalf. God has not forgotten you. Your cries have been heard. The injustice committed against you is of great concern to Him. Keep your hope in God. God has been fighting for you and He will continue ever faithfully to fight for you.

In the Psalms and in the book of Isaiah, God is called MELEKH, the King. Put aside for a moment the Western image of a pompous and impotent figurehead. Reach back to the mythical, powerful, majestic, king of your childhood fantasies. A true king and his subjects are bound by oaths of sacred honor. A true king’s subject serves with fealty freely sworn, bound to his king by a noble past, bound to his king by a glorious destiny. Our faithful and merciful King has set His heart to seek and rescue the weak and the oppressed. Listen to this:

Happy is the one who has the God of Jacob for a help…
the maker of the heavens and the earth,
the seas and all they contain,
the world’s true guardian,
who musters justice on behalf of the oppressed,
who gives bread to the hungry,
The ADVOCATE, who sets the captive free!
(Psalm 146 Kol Haneshamah)

And this God, this king of ours has power in abundance. His name is ADONAI-SABAOTH, “The Lord of Hosts”, or “Lord of the Angel Armies”. Perhaps you remember that God sent a single angel to drive out six nations from the land of Canaan. And God has armies of angels at his command. Listen to this:

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
         The holy dwelling places of the Most High.
     God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved;
         God will help her when morning dawns.
     The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered;
         He raised His voice, the earth melted.
     The LORD of hosts (ADONAI-SABAOTH) is with us;
         The God of Jacob is our stronghold.

The King is coming.  And like Robin Hood’s good King Richard when the good King comes He will bring the cruel autocrat to Justice and restore our freedom.

The King is coming.  And like Gondor’s good King Aragon when the good King comes He will turn the tide of the Battle and restore our hope.

The King is coming.  And like Lancelot’s good King Arthur when the good King comes He will fight for Beauty and restore our faith. 

The King is coming.

Listen to the fierce and majestic imagery of this description of our coming King.

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With Justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.”  He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:
       KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

Blessed be the Name September 6, 2008

How clearly do you see? How confident are you in the answers to the big questions of life, fate, and the world around you? If you’re like most people, you could be stumbling around in a fog of confusion one day and breaking your back for a fistful of empty longings the next. Life can be hard, confusing, painful, scary, and bitterly disappointing. Trust me, you are not the first person who ever asked the question, ‘where is God in all of this’? Thousands of years ago David, the shepherd king penned these words:

Why, O LORD, do you stand far off?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

Do you ever ask the same question? When things are going well do you find it’s hard to make the time to work God in? And what about when life gets really hard? Why is it that when we need Him the most God seems so very far away?

The simple answer is this: we don’t know who God is. If you listen carefully, beneath all the noise and confusion, the lists of things you need to do and lists of things that ought to change, you can hear the true voice of your heart crying out for God.

Hear my voice when I call, O LORD;
be merciful to me and answer me.
My heart says of you, “Seek his face!”
Your face, LORD, I will seek.

Our pursuit of God is invariably met with His joyful pursuit of us. As we step out by faith and become willing to know Him, He calls us to an ever deeper and richer experience of Himself. And God’s face, His very presence is a river that runs infinitely deep. Even as we draw near to Him and enter the dance, His intimacy pulls us ever closer. Again, we hear the voice within: My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” and our heart answers, “Your face, LORD, I will seek.”

In the Bible, God is called by many names and through each of those names He unveils a unique aspect of His character. I would like to use the next several posts to explore some of the names of God and think about what those names reveal about Him and His relationship with us. Quiet your heart and listen for God’s voice as you stand still and contemplate the glory of the name of the Lord.

May God bless you tonight, dear reader, and blessed be the name!