One of the many things that I love about truth is that it can be said many different ways and yet remain the same. Hearing truth explained in one way may not at first elicit a reaction, but perhaps by hearing it phrased differently it comes alive. Sometimes with heart wrenching effect. As years pass I understand more and more why Jesus often used stories to convey deep messages of truth. Like pointing out a speck of gold, hoping that we will be enticed enough to get our hands dirty and dig up the rest of the gold nuggets that are hidden beneath the surface of the earth. It can be hard work excavating the truth. And yet there is nothing so refreshing to my often weary, and sun scorched heart as the waters of truth. Especially spiritual, God ordained truth. Truth not just to live by, but truth that reaches into the deepest caverns of my soul and plants itself there. Taking root and giving birth to rich color and light in the deepest shadows.
That's how I felt this morning as I pondered the truths being revealed to me during my morning "coffee date" with Jesus. I was letting my mind rest on the name of Jesus. Thinking about how many books, sermons, and songs have been written, spoken, and sung on just His name. With the help of minds much smarter than mine, I found myself looking at His name written in a way that I had never seen it before. Je-sus. Never have two syllables contained so much for humanity. The Hebrew form of Jesus is Yehoshuah. A Hebrew name literally translated as, "I AM the savior, deliverer." "Je" meaning Jehovah and "sus" the equivalent to "Savior." Even Jesus' name is a reminder of all that God wants to be for us. ie: Everything. In the moment that God first called Himself "I AM," He was not making Himself ambiguous as some would think. He wasn't creating a riddle. He was making Himself accessible to His people. The ones that He loves. And He continued making Himself accessible in the personhood of Jesus, the ultimate provision for our deepest need.
Our needs continue today. Even with the salvation of our souls we often live lives of deficit. Forgetting that God is I AM. Jehovah Jireh: I AM the provider. (Gen. 22:13-14) Jehovah Nissi: I AM your banner. (Ex. 17:15) Jehovah Shalom: I AM peace. (Judges 6:24) Jehovah is a self given name. A name that in effect created a book of "blank checks" for us to use whenever we needed. God saying, "I AM everything you will ever need, yesterday, today, and forever. I AM never depleted, never insufficient." Most of us have experienced receiving that annoying little white slip from our bank that says, "Insufficient funds" on such and such a date." I like to think of myself as responsible, but sometimes, things slip by like a check I forgot I had written. Always a reminder that I am not self sufficient.
And when those little white slips do come, I am not saying that God is going to cover the deficit we've created. Though sometimes He does. What I am saying is that when we have needs, from school loans, to spouses. Rent to reassurance. Patience to peace. He IS supply, He IS peace, He IS comfort, He IS love. He is unending, and He is handing us a check book with every signature line signed by His omnipotent hand. Just waiting for us to fill in the amount. Waiting for us to have open hearts to accept what He is so freely handing us. He is holding out blank checks as we run around worrying, wondering, crying, and sighing. He is waiting for us to just make a withdraw from His account. Whispering, "You have not because you ask not."
(As a caveat, I am not endorsing that we treat God like a Genie or a "Daddy Warbucks." I am simply saying that when we ask out of our need and genuine desire, rooted in Him, then we need not fear receiving a timely and generous response. Even though, sometimes, those responses look different than we expected.)
In scripture it says that God owns the cattle on a thousand hills. In Corrie Ten Booms book, The Hiding Place, Corrie inquires of her sister Besty where they will get the funding to accomplish their calling. Betsy says, "Well, God owns a cattle on a thousand hills. We'll just ask Him to sell one." This story helps me keep my perspective. Because whether it's cows or checks, God's got enough of both to take care of whatever we may need. So don't be afraid to write those checks, God is big enough to cash them. He is Jehovah. He is I AM.
That's how I felt this morning as I pondered the truths being revealed to me during my morning "coffee date" with Jesus. I was letting my mind rest on the name of Jesus. Thinking about how many books, sermons, and songs have been written, spoken, and sung on just His name. With the help of minds much smarter than mine, I found myself looking at His name written in a way that I had never seen it before. Je-sus. Never have two syllables contained so much for humanity. The Hebrew form of Jesus is Yehoshuah. A Hebrew name literally translated as, "I AM the savior, deliverer." "Je" meaning Jehovah and "sus" the equivalent to "Savior." Even Jesus' name is a reminder of all that God wants to be for us. ie: Everything. In the moment that God first called Himself "I AM," He was not making Himself ambiguous as some would think. He wasn't creating a riddle. He was making Himself accessible to His people. The ones that He loves. And He continued making Himself accessible in the personhood of Jesus, the ultimate provision for our deepest need.
Our needs continue today. Even with the salvation of our souls we often live lives of deficit. Forgetting that God is I AM. Jehovah Jireh: I AM the provider. (Gen. 22:13-14) Jehovah Nissi: I AM your banner. (Ex. 17:15) Jehovah Shalom: I AM peace. (Judges 6:24) Jehovah is a self given name. A name that in effect created a book of "blank checks" for us to use whenever we needed. God saying, "I AM everything you will ever need, yesterday, today, and forever. I AM never depleted, never insufficient." Most of us have experienced receiving that annoying little white slip from our bank that says, "Insufficient funds" on such and such a date." I like to think of myself as responsible, but sometimes, things slip by like a check I forgot I had written. Always a reminder that I am not self sufficient.
And when those little white slips do come, I am not saying that God is going to cover the deficit we've created. Though sometimes He does. What I am saying is that when we have needs, from school loans, to spouses. Rent to reassurance. Patience to peace. He IS supply, He IS peace, He IS comfort, He IS love. He is unending, and He is handing us a check book with every signature line signed by His omnipotent hand. Just waiting for us to fill in the amount. Waiting for us to have open hearts to accept what He is so freely handing us. He is holding out blank checks as we run around worrying, wondering, crying, and sighing. He is waiting for us to just make a withdraw from His account. Whispering, "You have not because you ask not."
(As a caveat, I am not endorsing that we treat God like a Genie or a "Daddy Warbucks." I am simply saying that when we ask out of our need and genuine desire, rooted in Him, then we need not fear receiving a timely and generous response. Even though, sometimes, those responses look different than we expected.)
In scripture it says that God owns the cattle on a thousand hills. In Corrie Ten Booms book, The Hiding Place, Corrie inquires of her sister Besty where they will get the funding to accomplish their calling. Betsy says, "Well, God owns a cattle on a thousand hills. We'll just ask Him to sell one." This story helps me keep my perspective. Because whether it's cows or checks, God's got enough of both to take care of whatever we may need. So don't be afraid to write those checks, God is big enough to cash them. He is Jehovah. He is I AM.
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