names

Thursday, March 4, 2010 (5:41 a.m.)

Blessed Lord, Holy God, Wonderful Savior,

Mm, the list just continues. Father. Friend. Teacher. ♫Jesus. Name above all names. Beautiful Savior. Glorious Lord. Emmanuel. God is with us. Blessed Redeemer. Living Word♫

Oh Your Goodness God! What joy, what hope, what life is found in You! Thank You Lord. Thank You for continuing to draw me closer to You each day. Thank You for the opportunity to get to know You better. Thank You for the process of getting to love You even more.

I read Your Word and I continue to be amazed. Little did I know… Yes! Little have I ever known when it comes to You. I’ve attempted to put You in boxes of my own understanding through the years. Thank You God that You are so much bigger. Grander. Greater. Perfect.

Take right now for example. I had no idea what You had for me this morning. Coming here as an act of willing obedience, with no preconceived notion of where we’d go together I find myself literally wanting to jump into Your Word. Turning to 2 Thessalonians 1:12 because of the song above, I am excited as well as comforted all at the same time.

Lord, I love when You teach me new things! I confess that I am not usually the least bit pleasant about being flattened and stretched. But the very moment I recognize the tiniest spark of new growth, I am honestly ‘agog’ with You. Excited and eager to tell!

Like now. Reading the whole of this first chapter I am torn between truly wishing I could have somehow been there upon the original reading of this letter from Paul and wanting to run wildly out telling people, “You’ve got to see this!”

Verse 11 begins it all for me, “With this (Christ’s return) in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of His calling, and that by His power He may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith.” Oh that You would count me worthy of Your calling, Lord. And by Your power fulfill every good purpose You have set for me.

Oh but it doesn’t stop there. It just keeps getting better! Verse twelve, “We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

It’s Your grace that keeps us going Lord. Reading other translations has me feeling giddy and excited and ready to take on whatever it is You have for me. The Message says, “Because we know that this extraordinary day (when the Master comes) is just ahead, we pray for you all the time – pray that God will make you fit for what he’s called you to be, pray that He’ll fill your good ideas and acts of faith with His own energy so that it all amounts to something. If your life honors the name of Jesus, He will honor you. Grace is behind and through all of this, our God giving Himself freely, the Master, Jesus Christ, giving Himself freely.”

Oh Dearest Lord. Oh that my life would honor Your name. Your name that is above ALL names! I love You so much. Take me. Teach me. Make me obedient to Your will. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(575 words ~ 6:53 a.m.)