Week Five - Observation 2

It's a Saturday - they still feel different than other days even though, at this point in time, they really aren't that much different!  But it's the weekend, and with it comes a little different pace and a different feel.  And we aren't that far from fall Saturdays, which are my favorite - when there is both a cool feel and football in the air.  Love Saturdays with college football on TV, even if I'm not watching closely...that's the way a fall Saturday is supposed to sound!  

Some things are just supposed to be the same throughout our lives.  Some things like having your mama around to talk to whenever you need to hear her voice.  My mama went to heaven a year ago tomorrow after living 96+ years.  It just seemed she would always be here - it still seems she should!  But, like it or not, life changes, and our loved ones die, and we are again reminded that this is not heaven.  Thank goodness that we do know that heaven is in our future and that we have the assurance that those who have gone before, as believers in Christ, are there already.  

So much to be thankful for because of Jesus!  Don't you agree?

Remember our question for this week:  What do we do when we find ourselves in times of trouble, when we are in the middle of our storm?

And our verses for this week:  1 John 5:4-5  "because whatever has been born of God conquers the world. This is the victory that has conquered the world: our faith. And who is the one who conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?"

We've got a lot to cover today, so let's get going!

OBSERVATION

Proverbs 18:10  "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are protected."

Psalm 20:1, 5, 7  

"May the Lord answer you in a day of trouble; may the name of Jacob's God protect you."

"Let us shout for joy at your victory and lift the banner in the name of our God. May the Lord fulfill all your requests."

"Some take pride in a chariot, and others in horses, but we take pride in the name of the Lord our God."

Jeremiah 9:23-24  "This is what the Lord says: The wise must not boast in his wisdom; the mighty must not boast in his might; the rich must not boast in his riches. But the one who boasts should boast in this, that he understands and knows Me- that I am the Lord, showing faithful love, justice, and righteousness on the earth, for I delight in these things. [This is] the Lord's declaration."

Psalm 46:10  "He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Daniel 11:32b   "...but the people who know their God will be strong and take action."

OK - like I said, a lot to cover today!  But it's Saturday - and maybe you will even want to spend sometime tomorrow landing here for a while.   That's ok, because more than likely another post won't come up until Monday.  So take you're time and let's soak all of this in!

Looking at the first two passages (Proverbs 18 and Psalm 20), what actions do these two passages tell us to take as those who trust in God?  Here's the directions I see:

• Run to the strong tower that is the name of the Lord
• Expect God's answer to our request for help and look to the name of Jacob's God for protection
• Shout for joy and lift the banner in the name of our God when victory comes.
• Take pride in the name of the Lord our God.

All of these are excellent instructions for us to follow in times of trouble, but I find it interesting that they don't just say to run to God, look to God for protection, celebrate in God or take pride in God - they say to do all of these things in the name of God, or in the name of the Lord.  Does that make any difference?  Maybe only slightly - but it's there and worth looking at, don't you think? 

Where these verses state the word name, the same Hebrew word, shem, is used in all.  This word carries with it the connotation of reputation, fame, glory - even a memorial or monument.

An interesting note from our study guide, "The first mention of boast [take pride] in Psalm 20:7 can also be translated as to trust.  The second mention of boast [take pride] means 'to call to mind, to remember.'  Remembering could also involve a public proclaiming of what is being remembered - in this case, the name of the Lord."

                         

We will take pride in the name of the Lord our God - we will remember all that He has done and we will follow these instructions not just based on God and who we think He is, but also based on God's reputation, on His fame, on His glory - on all He has already done that we have testimony of through the Scriptures.  We can run, have expectations, celebrate and take pride in our God who has already done great and mighty things - and because we know He has, we also know He will,  not just for the people of Old Testament Bible stories, but for us - right here, right now!  His name - His fame - is great and good and testifies to His power and His ability to bring us victory!

Jeremiah then tells us a "Thus says the LORD" of what we should not be bragging about, and what we should be bragging about.  Whenever I see a "Thus says the LORD", I pay particular attention!

I find it interesting that the things we are told to avoid talking with pride are exactly what most people today are flaunting:  wisdom, power and wealth.  Someone is either smarter than everyone else, able to exercise greater influence over others than anyone else, or has more money than anyone else --- that's what we tend to hear a lot of, isn't it?  And are we tempted to do the same?  Are we tempted to "strut our stuff" when we receive recognition for our smarts, our power, our wealth?  And as parents I notice that we are very prone to boast about our kids for these things:  their promotions, new homes, and how financially well they are doing.  Not sure those are the things we should be boasting about in their regard either.  

What God tells us that we should brag about is this:  that we understand Him and that we know Him - that we know Him to be a God of faithful love, of justice and righteousness.  God tells us that He delights in these things.  When we are in times of trouble, do we keep talking about these qualities of God, or do we suddenly get quiet?  I think God delights in hearing us tell others of these qualities of His, but I think He especially takes great pleasure in us when we continue to do so in our times of pain and suffering.  That's when He knows that we truly know Him - that's when we can boast about understanding and knowing our good, loving, Father God.

Then looking at the last verses in Psalm and Daniel, we seem to get two conflicting directions:  be still and take action.  Well which one is it?  I think it's both - even at the same time - how can that work?  

I think we can be still ("cease striving" in some versions) when we remember that God is God and that He is over all and will be exalted by all.  We can have complete confidence that He is in control and that we don't have to be concerned about the outcome of our lives or of this world - He is God.  But when we know this about our God and that all is in His all-powerful hands, we can also be strong and take whatever action we are called to take, knowing that He is with us, before us and behind us.  In times of trouble, we can rest in God, but also be ready to do whatever it is that is asked of us - without weakness and without fear - because He is our God and we know who He is in our lives.

Well that was a lot!  I hope it was encouraging to you - it was to me.  We serve a great God - with a great reputation of power and action on behalf of His people. 

In His Amazing Love,

Janice