Wonderful, Counselor, Prince of Peace, Emmanuel

Thinkin' on the names given to Jesus by Isaiah, Luke, the angels, God.  I've always loved the songs that proclaim those names.  However,  back in the 80's,  the kids at our church did a kids Christmas musical called "The Late Great Potentate".  I loved everything about that musical and my kids were too little to be part of it.  Still,  it remains one of my favorites.  The premise was that the Potentate was losing his position to a baby King.  The kids sang about what to name the Baby and Casper,  the Potentate had some ideas.  He was shocked to hear that the name would be Jesus.    A sweet preteen,  now mother of four living in Germany sang a little chorus in the play that went like this:

"  When your heart is full of joy,  you'll call Him 'Wonderful',   When you've almost lost your way, He'll be your Counselor;  In the midst of your confusion, whisper 'Prince of Peace'  and when you're all alone,  He'll be Emmanuel."  

Since that day,  Emmanuel has been my favorite name for Jesus.  My favorite songs embody that name,  "God with us,  revealed in us, ",  "Emmanuel has come"  "God came down to dwell among us"   and on and on.

It happened about two weeks before Christmas.  I was blessed to attend a lovely Christmas brunch with my womens group at church.  The hostess chose the theme "Nativity"  and her beautful home reflected the theme.  For an icebreaker,  we had a word sticker slapped on our back and had to ask questions to discover it.  Sort of an adult headbandz.

Of course,  I don't need an icebreaker to visit with other women so I didn't really play until we sat down to eat.  A precious sister in Christ insisted that I play to discover my word. I'm pretty good at this game,  I'm a linguist and a teacher.  I can find that word in five questions.

"Is it a person, place or thing?"   Person 
  "Male or Female?"   Male.
 "adult or baby?"  Baby. 
"Duh,  Jesus".
Kind of,  but no,  not JESUS.

I took off ,  quoting Isaiah,  Handel's Messiah, Christmas Carols,  all to a chorus of "NO".
Finally,  I sang the above chorus in my head, saying aloud,  "Wonderful, Counselor, Prince of Peace,
Emmanuel."

"That's it,"  my table shouted.

I took a long drink of my coffee.  How could I have not said my favorite name for Jesus first? I went home thinkin' about that.

In the hustle and bustle of the season,  in the rush of December , with Christmas music blaring from every and any speaker including my phone,  God was with me.  And that was possible because of a baby born in Bethlehem.

For God is with us, And we celebrate the glory of His presence,  Christ has come to fill our hearts with love,  He came to SAVE us,  King of Kings and Lord of Lords,  His name is Jesus,  God with us.  Emmanuel has come.   --Don Moen
 
Imagine,  GOD with us,  thinkin' about that today.

Trust & Obey

In my blog post of  July 9, 2019, I wrote about music and how it affected and still affects my daily life,  since childhood.  Morning devotion times always end in a chorus  and usually it's one I haven't thought of in awhile.  Sometimes it's not even a christian song.  This morning it was A Million Dreams from the Greatest Showman  but that's another story.

As I was working on a proposal this morning,  I started singing,  "As we walk with the Lord,  in the light of His word,  what a glory He sheds on our way"   Initially,  I didn't even think what the song was until I got to the chorus,  "Trust and Obey,  for there's no other way"    Weird.  I'm not in a period of disobedience that I know of.  And there's no huge trial going on in my life right now.

But,  whoops,  I do spend a lot of time writing, studying and submitting pieces that go nowhere.   I post this blog for the 3 of you that read it, and I wonder frequently if any of this is worthy of my time and effort.     I do not write for the masses or publish best sellers but I'm being obedient to what he asks of me.  Perhaps my ministry is for  the one or two.  Perhaps it's just for me.  Because certainly I'm changing with every word I type.
(Cue  He's still workin' on me!)

Rachel Hollis says,  "So I have two choices: I can write down words and send them out into the world and hope they find a home. Or I can hide my light under a bushel because I’m too afraid someone won’t like the glare."

My fear isn't you won't like the glare,  I'm more afraid it won't be bright enough to pierce any darkness.  I write in obedience to what he tells me to type.  I post when I'm sure His timing is right and for reasons I cannot explain;   I study, write and submit.  

"For there's no other way,  to be happy in Jesus,  but to trust and obey." 

Sing, Sing a song, make it simple!

While listening to Robert Madu speak about the songs learned as a child in Sunday School
and how they impacted his life and ministry as an adult,   I took a little walk down memory lane.
I saw a vivid picture of my mom standing on the left,  with Sister Herndon in the middle
and Pastor Herndon on the right on the tiny platform of the church I grew up in.  They are
singing “Until then, my heart will go on singing. . . Until the day God calls me home”.
As an adult,  I had no doubt on the day God called Mom and Brother Herndon home.
His widow, Tona, awaits her call to this day.  
Our home was filled with music  enhanced by my mother’s love of southern gospel. 
We were charter subscribers to the Singing News Magazine.   The Cathedrals, Statesmen,
Blackwood Brothers, Dixie Echoes,  I knew their names and bios as if they were family.
My Dad volunteered as an usher at the Municipal Auditorium  (Now the Civic Center Music Hall)
so we could see the Speer Family, the Rambos and the Happy Goodmans in concert numerous
times FREE. We had all their ‘albums”.   Later my parents would purchase all the Bill Gaither
videos and leave them for me.  

I can spell “Bible, Christian, Jesus, Heart”   and many other words without spell check because
I know a song about them.   “ I am a C, I am a Ch, I am a Ch-r-i-s-t-i-a-n . The B-i-b-l-e, yes that’s
the book for me.”   Jesus loves the little Children,   “red and yellow, black and white” My early
experience with missionaries and this song caused me to never question His love for all the children
of the world.  "On Sunday I am happy,  On Monday. . . . and Saturday’s always bright."  He is the
God of everyday, all week not just on Sunday.  I haven’t always acknowledged Him everyday
but I’ve never been a “Sunday”  christian.  The Happy Day Express,   I think that might have
been from a Vacation Bible School theme but I’ve always known my final destination was Heaven.  
Every morning devotional sparks a memory of a hymn or song from my childhood and I usually
end with one I haven't thought of in years. Just after an intense time of prayer for a
prodigal child, I began to sing “I know whom I have believed in and am persuaded, that He is able”.   
Those songs from my childhood then remind me of the people of my childhood and I’m smiling

big right now.  “Lord, I’m thankful for the good folks in my life, ( blogpost of 10/1/18)   
Not everyone grows up in a home filled with southern gospel, but most of us can recall a song,
a hymn, a liturgy from childhood.

Belt out a song from your childhood today and see where the memory lane takes you!

TODAY, and God Said. . .

I propped up the pillows against the headboard and arranged the comforter around me.   My cup of cinnamon dolce fresh from the Keurig sat on the nightstand next to me.  I greeted my God, as always with an honest assessment of how I feel about getting up and facing the day.   I ask Him to open my ears to hear from him and speak to me before I open my devotional and Bible. 

This morning, I prayed a desperate prayer, I’m struggling with some directions in my life, some opportunities that I want to take and could,  but I want His “Best Yes”.  So I whined a bit that I really “need to hear from God”.   I really “want to do your perfect will”,      please, please, “give me some clear direction”,   “I’m listening, I want to do what you want”.

And God said, “No you don’t.”   So I got quiet and a little offended.

And God said, “I’ve given you everything you need for TODAY.  You undoubtedly know what you need to accomplish TODAY.   You have clear direction for the things you need to do for me TODAY.  Your problem is you want to know about next week, next month, and next year.  You want answers for June and August and it’s barely May.  You don’t want to make that financial commitment, even though you could because you’re afraid of October’s rent increase.     You don’t want to do TODAY’S task unless you can see how it’s going to help or hinder tomorrow.  You don’t want to spend time on TODAY’S task if you can’t know how the time and energy spent is going to impact the future.  You don’t want to follow TODAY’S leading if you can’t know where the finish line is.  You don’t want to get up and get busy on what you know you need to do TODAY.   You are too concerned about how it's all going to turn out."  

I was now more than a little offended, but I knew it was truth.  For me, specifically, time spent writing and researching and studying and yes spending for my writing,  seems to lead to nada.  And yet, I still do it.   Then I berate myself for “wasting” my precious resources.    I should be doing something more productive, spending more sacrificially.  

  

 I’m reminded of Paul as he traveled spreading the gospel.  He would plan an evangelistic trip and then a shipwreck, prison, crazy woman or illness would change his plan.  I wonder if he ever woke up and propped himself against the wall and asked "What's the point?"     Did he ever say aloud,  “I should never have bought a ticket to Troas, look what happened there!”   Or “Priscilla & Aquila gave me some cash and I bought a new coat, sorry, that should have been given to the poor”.   “Should I or shouldn’t I go to Rome?” 

TODAY, I know the assignments of TODAY.  He has shown me what is good.    To “do what is right, to love mercy and to walk humbly with (my) God”, (Micah 6:8 NLT).    My heart knows what He has required of me.   Jesus came to seek and save the lost, and now He wants me to seek and point the lost to Him. 

I quit being offended and took a long look at the list.  These days I still make the to-do list but pray over it and prioritize it according to the time constraints and other commitments.   TODAY, the list came together with a few additions and lots of cross outs.   I knew which opportunities to pursue and which ones to lay aside.   More importantly, I knew which ones could wait and which ones couldn’t.

The first one was “post the blog”.   

 TODAY   these were the words He gave me, even as I was in prayer.  So, as I type this sitting on my bed, I will push the “publish” tab and throw another post out into cyberspace.  And while these eyes see no earthly return on the time spent, this is what I must do TODAY. 

Just thinkin’ on it. 

Micah. Again.

Micah came back around after about a year of absence.  Micah.   The “minor prophet”  Micah.  The guy who is so “minor”  no one ever preaches from his writings,  never been a Bible Study about Micah and few sermons feature him as the main character.

  

In college,  I took a class called “The Minor Prophets”  ( I had to have 16 hours of Bible,  the professor was rumored to be entertaining).   We read a book  called Prophets on Main Street  by J. Elliot Corbett.  It seemed very relevant in 1973,  and surprisingly more so today.

  Micah showed back up today and I had to reflect on why Micah keeps showing up in my life about once a year.   I wrote from him in one of my first blog posts back in July.  I zeroed in on chapter 7,  the last part of verse 7.  Interestingly,  today,  the first part of the verse spoke to me.   “. . .watch in hope for the Lord”.    

 As I read through the commentaries on the verse and the different translations, a picture formed in my mind.  In Colorado,  up in the high country,  there are tall towers with enclosed platforms where park rangers spend their days and nights, binoculars slung around their neck, high powered telescope readily accessible,  watching the mountains for any sign of fire or avalanche.  I could suddenly imagine,  my dear friends battling cancer,  the mothers praying for their prodigals,  the missionary in captivity and/or battling demonic powers far from home.  I saw them,  standing in a tower,  binoculars around their neck,  scanning the countryside for their Lord.  For the healer to come around the bend.  For the deliverer to come into view over the hill.  To catch a glimpse of the Savior coming down the road toward them.  I imagined that they glanced out the window frequently  and checked the doorstep first thing every morning.  

   That verse ends with “God WILL answer my prayer.”  Coincidentally,  ( I think not),  that was the part of the verse I blogged about in July. 

 Sometimes, oftentimes I get so focused on the circumstance and so desperate in prayer  that I forget to  watch, to look,  to expect the answer.

 Today,  I’m THINK’IN about sitting by the window and watching for my Lord to work wonders in me, my friends and family. 

Remind me, Remind me.

    In this world we are living in ,  Isaiah 46:3-4, 9-11  bears repeating.  Verse 3 starts out “Listen to me.”   I was reminded of all the times that I have said to children,  heard my daughter say to my grandchildren, “listen to me”. We usually have to say it several times and grasp their little faces to make them look at us.  The Hebrew word used in this scripture is translated “to hear intelligently”.  In this verse God is telling Isaiah and US to pay attention, not just hear the babble of the media. Listen to ME! (God).

Secondly,  God reminds Isaiah,  the children of Israel and US that he has held us since our birth,  He created us and has " cared for you since you were born. . .I will be your God throughout your lifetime". It’s a little overwhelming to realize what he has done for us since birth.   I laughed a little at Matthew Henry’s commentary on this verse.  In addressing old age he says, “When compassed about with infirmities, and perhaps those around you grow weary of you, yet I am He that I have promised to be”.   I am very grateful God has not and will not  grow weary of me!

So now that I’m listening and am assured that God is with me,  I skipped to verse 9. “Remember the things I have done in the past."  Those things which undeniably point to who He is and that there is none like Him. There was an old song, "Roll back the curtain of memory now and then, show me where you brought me from and where I could have been". This exercise will make you cry, laugh and open a floodgate of memories. Followed by an immersion of gratitude.

In verse 10,  God tells us that we have a future.  His purpose, plan, advice stands from the beginning and will continue through eternity.  His plan for our lives will not might, maybe, could be, but WILL come to pass.  It’s going to happen just like He said!

And just to punctuate verse 10 with power,  God gives us verse 11. Just a few examples of how He might accomplish his purpose.  Accomplished even with those who don’t know God or follow His lead. The Israelites would have never crossed the Red Sea and continued into the Promised Land had it not been for a band of Egyptians chasing them.   Egyptians who had no interest in doing God’s Will. One of the most pivotal changes in my life came about because of people who had no idea they were being used of God.

I’m immensely grateful this morning that God is in control of this messy life.  Thankful that I can rest in His faithfulness of the past and walk through today knowing with a doubt that He has a purpose.  No matter what I see, hear or think, He will do what He has planned. I'm grateful for where I am today.

Thinkin' about where He brought me from.

Balance

Balance,  Thinkin' today about balance.  Not the world famous “balance”  definition but another one.
The world says we can have it all if we balance our diet, our obligations,  our work and play,
and on and on.

I'm thinkin' today about balance in my devotional life.  On my first generation IPad, I have
downloaded the Jesus Calling app,  the Bible Hub app, and the Bible for Kids app. In my ibooks
library I have  the devotionals : Maximize Your Mornings; Jesus on every Page; and The Shelter, God’s Promises.   By email I subscribe to: Devotionals Daily, Study Gateway, Max Lucado,
Spirit Led Woman and ibelieve daily.  On my nightstand right now are hard copies of Moving
Mountains by John Eldridge, Awaken by Priscilla Shirer, Jack Hayford's Moments with Majesty and
Anne Graham Lotz's The Daniel Key . I've read all of them, I'm just referring back to them everyday
or two.
 I am currently in a Bible Study with my women’s group at church on "12 More Women of the Bible"
and I am personally studying Women of Faith’s "Power in Prayer". From that study, I was inspired to
look more closely at Psalm 119.   In my excitement, I cleverly came up with 22 days in Psalm 119
and promised myself to spend the next 22 days studying each section of that Psalm. However,
(at the tim of this writing), my church was in 24 days of prayer and text me a devotion each morning,
so, I was doing that. Additionally, my church posts “reflection questions” after each Sunday sermon
and I really try to look at those and journal them each week.    I am a marvel at Bible study!
Even as I type this my head is about to explode!
In retrospect,  I don’t access the ipad apps EVERY day.   I haven’t accessed the devotional ibooks
in months.  I’ve been deleting Max Lucado, Devotionals Daily and Study gateway in favor of
Anne Graham Lotz the last 30 days. Awaken is a 90 day devotional that took me 120 days. I do the
Women of Faith study on Sunday afternoons, it’s only a 12 weeks. I started 10 weeks ago and I’m
on week 8.  On paper and in blog, I look like an amazing study machine.
I also keep a prayer journal.  I record specific requests and their answers or updates when I’m still
praying.  I started it because I thought none of my prayers were ever answered. That's a subject for
another blog and I digress.   While I have lots of books on prayer, the devotional books do outnumber
them. And while I set aside devotion time every day,  I’m intrigued by the time spent studying or
reading as opposed to prayer. Intrigued might should be convicted. Confession: Some, several,
many mornings I pour over the scripture and journal my thoughts,  read several translations and
then, in haste, shoot an arrow prayer upward, mention a few pressing needs, maybe even log them
in the prayer journal, sing a praise and worship chorus  and get up for the day. All, GOOD,
GREAT, WONDERFUL things to do. But, in His great love and mercy for me,  He gives me this line
out of today’s study on prayer. (It's the one Women of Faith that I do on Sunday and am four weeks
behind.  “ This week, instead of spending extra time searching out the scriptures, spend
a little extra time in prayer.”

Thinkin' about balancing my prayer time with devotional and study time.

 How much time did you spend in each this past week? Think about it.