Why Reverence Matters

Speaking God’s Name: Why Reverence Matters

In Matthew 6, Jesus teaches the apostles how to pray.

As the perfect example, He gave them The Lord’s Prayer which was a guide for them to follow, not a decree.

The first verse is, “Our Father, who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name . . . “1

Webster’s dictionary defines the word “Hallowed” as meaning “Holy, consecrated, sacred, revered.”2

As Jesus taught this model of a prayer to His disciples, don’t miss His use of the word, “Hallowed”.

God is holy and should be revered above all other names.

Divine Respect: Why Reverence Matters

There are several reverential names and descriptions for God located in the Bible, including:

El SHADDAI which means “Almighty God.”

EL-OLAM translates to “Everlasting God”

YAHWEH-JIREH illuminates the promise that “The Lord Will Provide”

Devout followers in early Biblical history referred to the Lord as “Adonai” since YHWH / YAHWEH / JEHOVAH were names thought to be too sacred “by the Jews to be spoken aloud by sinful men.”3

The sacred names for God are more than just words or even titles.

The names of God express our reverence and devotion, a reminder that He is the author of all creation.

The key point in all of this is that whether we use His actual Hebrew name, or refer to Him as God, or Lord, or Lord God, we are to always show reverence to Him and His name. –gotquestions.org.4

We should never take His name lightly in our prayers.

A Powerful New Song About Why Reverence Matters

Recently, I heard a powerful song that beautifully revers the names of God.

The artist is Skye Reedy, a talented songwriter, vocalist, and worship leader based out of Nashville.

Christian songwriter and vocalist, Skye Reedy

Christian vocalist Skye Reedy

Just over a week ago, she released two new songs, including this one called, “The Names of God.”

I hope you enjoy.

Amen!

May we always approach God in our prayers with humility and awe, acknowledging both His Holiness and Sovereignty in all that we do.

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1 Scripture quotation is from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

2 “Hallowed”. (n.d.). Retrieved from Merriam-Webster.com. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hallowed

3 Quotation from gotquestions.org, from “What are the different names of God, and what do they mean? n.d., para. 5. Web. Accessed April19, 2024. Names of God

4 Quotation from gotquestions.org, from “What do LORD, GOD, Lord, God, etc. stand for in the Bible? n.d., para. 4. Web. Accessed April 20, 2024. Our Lord God

5 Skye Reedy photo, courtesy of Skye Reedy Facebook post, 27 October, 2020. Accessed October 19, 2022. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=631710731809239&set=pb.100049109538982.-2207520000&type=3</span

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Symphony Of Colors

God Created The Symphony of Colors

God's symphony of colors

Do you have a favorite time of day?

If I had to pick one (okay I’ll pick two), it would be early morning and dusk.

The peacefulness of the morning and then, later in the day, the rich red and orange colors painted across the sky during a sunset are captivating.

My photo library is filled with pictures I’ve taken of these God-created wonders.

Sunrise symphony of colors

Each day I love to walk outside to witness God’s symphony of colors.

Sunrises and sunsets are just a few of the many reasons I delight in Him.

Don’t overlook these simple joys.

Recently, I came across a poem that captures this theme beautifully and I wanted to share it with you.

Beauty of the Morning

In the beauty of the morning
When the sun awakes the world
When the birds begin their singing
And the clouds are all unfurled.

Have you ever stopped to listen
As the darkness fades away
When the golden dawn is breaking
and heralds in the day?

If you’ve never seen the glory
of the rising of the sun
Now’s the time to do this
For at least, just even one.

Your heart will swell with praises
As you see the beauty there
You will find your spirit soaring
And your heart bowed down in prayer.

– Author unknown

With thanks to our Father in Heaven, the beauty of God’s sunrises and sunsets are a pleasant reminder that we have been gifted another new day!

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Total Eclipse: A Testament to God’s Glory

The Total Eclipse: A Testament to God’s Glory

April 8th, 2024 is finally here!

As the moon moves between the earth and the sun, millions of people will witness a long-awaited (and rare) Total Eclipse. 

Total Eclipse: A Testament to God’s Glory

For those of you lucky enough to be in the direct path (and if it’s a sunny day), you’ll see the landscape around you plunge into darkness during those moments of totality.

Will it be cloudy?

Am I going to see anything?

Do these eclipse glasses even work?

By the way, be very, very careful where you purchase your eclipse glasses. You need special glasses (not regular sunglasses) to protect your eyesight.

Make sure the lenses are scratch-free, safe to use, and most importantly from a reputable source.

This phenomenal celestial event, which we are privileged to witness, is yet another reason to praise God.

I don’t know about you, but I’ll probably be emotional.

My husband and I plan to sit out on our porch to watch the amazing sight.

Don’t miss the significance of this!

The total eclipse is a testament to God’s glory.

Only He deserves our praise and worship.

Delight in God Our Creator Through the Total Eclipse

As Christians, we know that all the earth praises the Lord.

Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
Praise Him in the heights!
2 Praise Him, all His angels;
Praise Him, all His heavenly armies!
3 Praise Him, sun and moon;
Praise Him, all stars of light!
4 Praise Him, highest heavens,
And the waters that are above the heavens!
5 They are to praise the name of the Lord,
For He commanded and they were created.
6 He has also established them forever and ever;
He has made a decree, and it will not pass away. – Psalm 148: 1-6, (NASB).

Since the sun and moon are big news this week, how would you like to hear the sounds of the sun?

I’ve heard them, and now you can too.

It may sound monotonic and meaningless to us as humans, but to God, it is one of the sounds of His Creation.

How great is our God!

Granted, what many will witness on April 8th is spectacular, but nothing will be better than the excitement and joy of spending eternity with God in heaven.

Nothing can overshadow that.

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1 Scripture quotation is from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

2 Video courtesy of NASA | Sun Sonification (raw audio). [YouTube]. July 26, 2018, Web. Accessed April 2, 2024. Retrieved from: Sounds of the Sun

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Embrace the Unexpected

Embrace The Unexpected

Embrace the unexpected

Life can be unpredictable and, sometimes, our circumstances just don’t turn out like we think they should.

Have you ever had one of those head-scratching moments?

Even our most meticulous of plans can go cattywampas at times.

Take our trip to Israel for instance. I had been dreaming about this trip for a very, very long time.

We planned everything to a “T”, from a dog sitter to a house-sitter, to plane reservations, a hotel, a tour guide, and more.

Within a few days, (and sadly, after we bought our tickets) absolutely everything went to pot.

The sitter flaked out, one of our dogs got sick, one of our sweet guides had a medical emergency, and more. 

We got the message. It wasn’t the right time to go . . . for us.

Embrace the Unexpected: Trusting in God’s Guidance

God always has our best interests at heart.

We know that He protected us from “something.” We just don’t know what it is yet.

But, God is always faithful.

We picture in our minds with great detail how our future is going to unfold. But things don’t go as planned. Some doors close, while others open. If this happens to you, it may be that God has something completely different in mind.

It’s good to plan and dream and think ahead. But we must always be open to God-appointed changes in direction.- Precept Austin.1

Here’s a verse to remember when life turns cattywampas.

The mind of a person plans his way,
But the Lord directs his steps. – Proverbs 16:9, (NASB).2

Through life’s twists and turns, this rollercoaster ride we’re living on is never a surprise to God. 

He “works in ways we can’t predict. He can use even our inconveniences to bring honor to His name. When we face a seeming nuisance in our day, perhaps we should look not just for what we think we want, but also for what God has for us that day.” (Precept Austin.org, 9/18/16.)3

Never lose hope.

We must continue to walk with faith, knowing that God’s ways are always higher than our own.

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1 Precept Austin quotation is from the Proverbs 13-19 Devotionals & Sermon Illustrations, [2016] Courtesy of Precept Austin, Subheading, “Proverbs 16”. Web. Accessed 1 April, 2024.

2 Scripture quotation is from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

3 In preceptaustin.org. Retrieved from https://www.preceptaustin.org/proverbs_illustrations_2

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Happy Easter 2024

Happy Easter 2024!

Christians around the world are celebrating the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

He is risen!

5 And the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. 6 He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. 7 And go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you to Galilee. There you will see Him; behold, I have told you.” – Matthew 28:5-7, (NASB).

May this Easter bring you much joy, many blessings, and a renewed sense of faith.

Wishing you a wonderful and blessed Easter!

Happy Easter 2024

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