April 8, 2013
God is More Than Enough
Mary Southerland
Today’s Truth
“Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope.” (Ephesians 3:20)
Friend to Friend
I have a unique philosophy about my hair. I believe one of the reasons it exists atop my head is to provide a conduit for change and adventure in life. You might say that my hair is in a constant state of transition and experimentation. I’ve been known to tear a picture out of a catalog, thrust that picture into my hairstylist’s hands, and command, “Make my hair look like this!” I sometimes opt for a new color, or different highlights, a different style or length … you get the idea. When I am feeling especially brave, I might walk into a brand-new salon, ask for the most experienced stylist available, plop into his or her chair, and simply hope for the best. Personally, I consider my “hair attitude” an ongoing exercise in faith, but you can probably understand why Dan tends to shudder when he hears me utter these fateful words, “Honey, I’ll be back in a little while. I am going to get my hair done.” Honestly, the way I wear my hair really is a minor issue to my sweet husband. Thank goodness!
While running errands one day, Dan and I were enjoying the opportunity to catch up on life. During a lull in the conversation, I looked over to see him watching me with a mysterious smile on his face. “I know,” I said. “I don’t like it this way, either.” Dan nearly wrecked the car! “What?” he sputtered. I grinned and explained, “I know you don’t like my hair this way, and I don’t, either.” He shook his head in amazement. “But I did not say one word about your hair.” With a knowing smile I responded, “I know, but I can see it in your eyes.” Scary!
The people you love the most are generally the people you know the best. Dan and I share wonderful physical intimacy, but we often talk about the fact that in the last few years the most precious part of our relationship has become the deep intimacy we share as best friends and soul mates. That type of intimacy is precisely what God wants us to experience in our relationship with Him.
God wants to be our eternal Soul Mate. He not only longs to hear my voice as I share the minute details of my life with Him, but He also wants me to hear His voice as He responds. Obviously, the Father is fully aware of every detail of my life before I share it with Him, but the sharing is for my good and creates a deeper bond between us. God wants me to know all about Him and long to be with Him. Think about it – the amazing possibility – to know the living God as Lord, Savior, and Friend. That knowledge is the foundation of stress management.
God has a first name—“Yahweh” or “Jehovah”—a Hebrew word that means, “I am.” “Lord” should be translated “Jehovah,” which means that Jehovah Almighty is His name. Jehovah is a personal name that reveals the very core of God’s being, sufficiency, and holiness. God wants to be on a first name basis with us and wants us to come to Him just as we are, in our weakness and incompleteness. When we come before Him, sharing our deepest needs, with honesty and transparency, God then shares His last name, which is based on our current need in life.
God came to Moses and said, “I want you to be on a first name basis with me. My name is Jehovah” (see Exodus 3:14 and from that point on, whenever the people had a need they cried out in their insufficiency, saying, “God, You are the I Am. Come and meet me!” God would then come, meet them, and give them His last name. In Exodus the people cried, “God, we are out here in the desert with no food or water, literally starving to death! Jehovah, where are You?” Suddenly, quail are raining down from heaven and manna is found on the desert floor. God was Jehovah-Jireh, their Provider.
Later in Exodus, the people find themselves facing an immensely superior military force and cry out to God saying, “We can’t do this! This army will wipe us out! Please help us!” God was then Jehovah-Nissi, which means “the Lord our Banner.” In Biblical times, when tribes went to war, flags and banners were carried out in front. God assured His people that He would go before them and fight the battle for them.
In other passages, people came to God, overwhelmed and anxious. God says, “I am Jehovah-Shalom, your Peace.” David came to Him in desperation and said, “God, I am in the wilderness and totally alone.” God says, “I am Jehovah-Shammah. I am here.”
God wants an intimate relationship with us. We can come to Him, calling Him by name, and He will meet the needs of our heart. Knowing God, and realizing that He knows us, is a powerful and strong foundation upon which we can build a peace-filled life instead of a stress-controlled life.
Let’s Pray
Father, I want to know You more. I praise You for meeting every need in my life and thank You that no matter what I face, You are more than enough. I may not always understand or even like Your process, but I know I can always trust Your heart.
In Jesus’s name,
Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
Record the following names of God in your journal. Beside each name, write about a time when God showed up and met a need in your life. For example, when has God been your Jehovah-Jireh, your Provider?
Jehovah-Jireh, my Provider________________________________________________
Jehovah-Nissi, my Banner_________________________________________________
Jehovah-Shalom, my Peace _______________________________________________
Jehovah-Shammah, I am here______________________________________________
More from the Girlfriends
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