MORE PRAYING NAMES

Each month I create prayers for people we love based on the meaning of their names. 

These additional names are then added to the ongoing list at the tab to the right titled, “PRAYING NAMES.”

If you don’t find the name of your loved one listed, please leave a comment below. I’ll research it and create a prayer for a future month.

Bernard: bold as a bear; brave; hardy

Heavenly Father, I pray that Bernard will live the meaning of his name. I pray that he will live a life full of courage and that he will bravely speak of your love and salvation boldly. Amen.

Clarice/Clara: illustrious; clear, bright

Heavenly Father, I pray that Clara will live the meaning of her name. I pray that she will understand your Gospel clearly and that she will live her life in such a way that she will be a bright light of your love in this world. Amen.

Ryan: descendant of the king

Heavenly Father, I pray that Ryan will live the meaning of his name. I pray that he will understand the full impact of being a son of the King of the universe and that he will live his life as an ambassador for you. Amen.

Stephanie: crown

Heavenly Father, I pray that Stephanie will live the meaning of her name. I pray that she will wear your crown of glory throughout her life, that her status as adopted daughter of the King will be apparent to all those who meet her. I pray that she will understand the importance of being your daughter and will wear her crown humbly. Amen.

The God-Honoring Courage And Calling Of Nehemiah

This is a guest post from Chris Vonada. Chris is an author and geologist, and also enjoys reading, running, anything outdoors, travel, family, friends, music and life! He writes about his passions at I’m Just Thinkin’ (http://chrisvonada.com). You can also follow him on Twitter (https://twitter.com/ChrisVonada)

At church we've been talking about restoration and the power of unity. One of the books in the Bible that we discussed in our small group was Nehemiah. I wasn't all that familiar with this book and Nehemiah's story before this. It's one of extraordinary leadership and courage, accenting the elements of vision, unity, and commitment.

Nehemiah was a man of action. God wanted him to leave a prominent position in the Persian government to rebuild the walls around Jerusalem. Nehemiah followed many exiles who had returned to Jerusalem. This assignment was a big deal to God, and Nehemiah was chosen for his organizational skills and his ability to inspire others to action. When he came to town he inspected the walls and gates and lots of folks fell in line with his directive.

One of the key elements of Nehemiah's success was in prayer for doing God's work and for His purposes. This quest wasn't about Nehemiah. It was all about restoring God's place for the future coming of Jesus. Jerusalem's walls had been broken down and the gates had been burned. After hearing this distressing news, Nehemiah fasted and prayed for several days and received God's calling, favor and blessing to proceed with the task at hand.

This idea of "calling" is key in our society today and I believe is very important in how we will be remembered in the history of Christianity. The story is as relevant today as it was at the time it was written. Recent surveys suggest that we are in the midst of a leadership crisis. Joseph Cavanaugh, the author of "The Language Of Blessing," sums it up this way:

"Western individualism is primarily focused on fulfilling wants and desires. Biblical individualism is about what we have been given for the benefit of others. It is about fulfilling our unique function, contribution and calling.

King David beautifully articulates in many of his psalms how intimate God’s love is for each of us as individuals. Centuries later, in his letters to the Corinthians and to the Romans, Paul emphasizes the great diversity of gifts and functions that exist in the body of Christ. He also points out that each individual’s contribution is indispensable and vital for the benefit of the whole body. A final reality communicated in the parable of the talents and again in the book of Revelation is that each of us will stand before the Lord and give an account of what we did with what we were so generously given—an individual experience.

Healthy self-esteem is simply proper care for ourselves—physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. A self-esteem that comes from knowing we are loved by God and created with purpose allows us to get on with loving and serving others."

Nehemiah served the King of Persia at the time of his calling. He was the cup-bearer, or the dude responsible for making sure that the wine and drink given to the King were safe to consume. How? Well, Nehemiah often tasted every provision before the King did. It was a very important and prestigious position, a great honor. However, it wasn't his calling and when God summoned Nehemiah to duty the faithful servant gracefully asked the King to be relieved of his role as the cup-bearer. It was as dramatic as the fisherman Peter dropping his net and stepping off the boat to follow Jesus.

How do we find our calling? Calling is found through a relationship with the Holy Spirit, and it begins with self-awareness(Click To Tweet). Don't spend so much time running away to realize what you could be running toward. Identify your gifts and talents, then pray to the Lord to show you the way in how to best apply them.

After inspecting the wall and gates, Nehemiah said to the people, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.” I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me.They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work. Nehemiah 2:17-18

 

The task at hand may have seemed enormous, but with God's help and support the effort was united and accomplished. After Nehemiah identified his calling, he used his gifts and talents to organize and inspire others to help. If you read through the book of Nehemiah you will find the names of many who rallied in support of God's glorious purpose. Of course, there were pockets of dissension. There are today, and always will be. Not to worry though as we already know the end of the story...

"So the wall was completed on the 25th of Elul, in 52 days. When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God." Nehemiah 6:15-16

Don't want to be the leader? Lead, follow, or just step out of the way. Either way it's time to pony up and ride. It's all about courage, and identifying then following God's calling.

How do you think of calling? Have you ever felt that God was calling you to head off in a new direction?

TODAY IS THE DAY

Today is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it! (Psalm 118:24)

...that's all I have to say today on this subject.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for today that you have made--this day that has never been lived before. Thank you for whatever you have planned for it. Show us ways today to rejoice in all things and be glad. Amen.

TIME FLIES

To God a thousand years is like a day. And a day is like a thousand years (2 Peter 3:8; Psalm 90:4)

Time flies when you’re having fun. That saying makes me wonder: 

Does that mean that when God’s will is being done more often than not; when we’re drawing near to Him instead of trying to do life on our own—that time is flying for God? At those times, to God is a thousand years like a single day?

What about those other times? Those times when I forget to pray. Or when I decide to pray later. And don’t. Those times when I see a need and look away, intending to extend the effort the next time—when it’s more convenient.

During those times, is God thinking that a day feels like a thousand years?

Fortunately, God is also patient and “slow to anger.”

If a day feels like a thousand years to God because we’re slow in getting around to doing things His way, how much better to turn it around so that God can think of us and smile, knowing that time flies when He’s having fun. And how much more fun for God when we hear Him calling for us to spend time with him; see His hand in our daily lives; listen to His Word and make it part of our heart for Him.

And for us…spending time with God means our time here on earth will fly until the day when we no longer care about the concept of time at all. When we have eternity to spend in His presence.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for your patience. Ignite our hearts for you and your plan today. Show us that spending time with you is good. Amen.

WHAT ABOUT YOU? What was the longest day in your life? Or the shortest?

G.O.D. IN THREE PERSONS

Don’t you think it’s great how the word God is made up of three letters? There’s one letter for each of the three persons in the Trinity. Was it a coincidence? Or is the word God a divine acronym?

G can refer to the GIVER OF SALVATION. That’s Jesus. I can pray to Jesus in gratitude for his sacrifice of becoming human for my sake; for living a life that is an example for me; for dying a horrible death in order to save my soul. Thank you, Jesus.

O can refer to the OVERSEER OF ALL THINGS. That’s the Father. He keeps the earth spinning. He keeps the stars from falling out of the heavens. He makes sure the plants grow, the tides go in and out, the rain falls. Thank you, Father.

D can refer to the DOER. That’s the Holy Spirit. As a Christian, the Spirit lives in me. And one way God works is through me. I am His hands and feet in this world as long as the Spirit guides and directs me. And as long as I attune my thoughts and actions to His. Thank you, Holy Spirit.

If I pray to God, I can remember to pray to G.O.D. 

PRAYER: Thank you, God for who you are and all you are doing in me and through me in this world. Amen.

WHAT ABOUT YOU? Do you pray more generally to one person of the Trinity? Why do you think that is?

PLANS WITHIN PLANS

The movie, The Passion of the Christ brought home Jesus’ physical suffering in a powerful, guttural way. Whereas we previously might have thought, “what a horrible way to die,” watching that movie helped us internalize the torture, the pain, the humiliation, the power of Jesus’ final day in his human, physical state.

But for some of us, the more significant sacrifice of Jesus was the one he made in heaven. He set aside his divinity and became human for our sake. This sacrifice is harder for us earthly folk to comprehend because we haven’t experienced heaven yet. We “know” that heaven is glorious, that it is beautiful, that being in God’s presence is exceptional in the extreme. But we don’t quite understand it.

That makes it hard for us to comprehend the sacrifice Jesus made when he left heaven; left the presence of being in the Trinity; left the place where he was God and was with God. So because we cannot comprehend that part of his sacrifice, we focus on the one we can understand: the physical torture, humiliation and death.

But when we focus on only one of those sacrifices do we dilute its power. Jesus was not only the Son of Man; he was also the Son of God.

Oswald Chamber’s head-whacking devotional, My Utmost for His Highest, pointed this out, reminding us that Satan was there at Jesus’ crucifixion, just as Satan was in the desert, tempting Jesus to use his power to save himself. After the time in the desert,

“The Devil left to return at a more opportune time.” (Luke 4:13)

How much more opportune time is there than when Jesus faced torture, humiliation and death in such a cruel way? And how much more opportune than the last opportunity to do so in Jesus’ earthly life?

But Jesus was also the physical incarnation of God. He was the Son of Man—a flesh and blood human who was not only God, but man as well. Oswald reminds us: “The Cross of Christ was a triumph for the Son of Man.”

There was never a question that God would triumph as Son of God. As Son of God, Satan could not touch or tempt Jesus.

But as Son of Man, Satan could attack Jesus on the basis of his humanity. And he did. But because Jesus, as Son of Man, was tempted and came through for us despite his humanity, we were saved. Despite Jesus’ humanity and because of it.

This point crystallized in my mind this morning. The sacrifices Jesus made as the Son of God (setting aside his divinity temporarily) and as the Son of Man (overcoming temptation and dying a human death) are both of equal greatness. Without the sacrifice as the Son of God, Jesus would not have become human and would not have been able to offer his human, physical life. Likewise, without the sacrifice as Son of Man, Jesus would not have been tempted and have overcome that temptation, to give his human, physical life for our sake.

Praise God for His plan and for His plans within plans.

And thank you, Oswald for another head-whacking devotional.

WHAT ABOUT YOU? Share your thoughts about the two different forms of sacrifice that Jesus made for our sake.

(For other readers of Oswald Chambers, this post was based on the devotional for April 5. This  is a repost from my guest appearance at Deborah K. Anderson's Faith, Fiction and the Unvarnished Truth.)

A PROCESS IN COURAGE

As you know, my one word focus for 2013 is courage. I’ve been thinking about it a lot. I’ve been reading about it in scripture. I’ve been meditating on it. I’ve been listening to others. I’ve been writing about it and I’ve asked my writing colleagues in The Network to write about it when it’s their turn to post here at From Carol’s Quill. It’s in my heart and my mind.

Recently, God has led me to see a process in courage and beyond:

• God places in our hearts a desire: to do, to experience, to love
• He helps us dream about giving life to that desire and often gives us gifts or places people or circumstances in our path to accomplish those dreams.
• Insecurity steps in: I’m not enough, I can’t, I’m too little, it’s too hard
• That results in a sense of vulnerability: I may fail, be rejected, ignored, hurt
• This is the pivotal point in our journey. Sometimes we turn away. Give up. Abandon our dream. Ignore God’s leading. Be disobedient.
• And sometimes we decide to be obedient anyway. Even though we are insecure. Even though we are vulnerable. Even though.
• At that point God shows us that the attempt is worthy. Regardless of the outcome, the itself path provides experience. The process brings knowledge, wisdom, growth, empathy, strength. Courage.

God created me to desire and dream. He gifted me with talent or the ability to learn. When I proceed with courage in the process, I also leave the results to Him.

Insecurity and vulnerability become nearly irrelevant. Despite insecurity, I try and I do my best. I learn from my mistakes and get better each time I try. If I fail, I learn why and try again.

I may feel vulnerable, but even if I am rejected by people or ignored or hurt. I am never rejected by the God of the universe who stands at my side, pushing me forward, lifting me up, cheering me on.

In the end as well as through the process, God loves me. He is pleased at the trying. Results are important—even sometimes to Him—but the process is what causes learning and growth and it is the process that shines the light of obedience that makes God smile.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us minds that dream big dreams. Please show us how to make those dreams a reality. Show us how to be obedient to you in the process. Amen.

WHAT ABOUT YOU?  What desire has God placed on your heart that you are just now beginning to dream about?

OZ AND I: BEING DISOBEDIENT

“We don’t consciously and deliberately disobey God.”

Let me check the cover of the devotional I’m reading. Yes, it really is Oswald Chambers’ My Utmost for His Highest.

Is Oz cutting us some slack today?

I think. “I’m not disobeying God—on purpose. I can’t help it. I’m weak. It’s not my fault.”

We may hear other people speak God’s truth and conclude that they’re probably right, continues Oz, but it is easy to ignore people. So we do.

But by ignoring God’s truth spoken by others, we are ignoring God himself. When we recognize how we have ignored God, “we will be filled with shame and humiliation.”

Ouch. There’s the Oz we’ve come to expect.

How often have I ignored God by belittling His truth merely because it was spoken by people? Are believers of this age any different from the people 4,000 years ago who spoke God’s truth, inspired by Him and preserved in scripture?

It’s time again to hang my head, admitting that I deserve Oz’s head whacking, and asking God’s forgiveness when I’ve ignored His truth, spoken loud and clear by people He has placed in my life.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we do love you and we don’t want to ignore your truth. Please open our ears and help us get out of your way when you use others to speak your truth to us. Amen.

WHAT ABOUT YOU? Have you experienced a time when you clearly knew that others were speaking God’s truth to you?

NOTE: This post was based on the devotional dated February 12.