Basking in the Son
Because thy lovingkindness is better than life,
my lips shall praise thee.
Thus will I bless thee while I live:
I will lift up my hands in thy name.
Psalm 63:3-4
Have you ever noticed how animals like to find a nice sunny patch and take a nap? My pups can frequently be found lying in any sunny spot they can find around the house, snoozing contently. The warmth of the sun seems to bring them immense peace and an ability to rest.
Occasionally I have those times… those times, when I commune with our Lord in the quiet and still of the early morning, and I’ve finished my time of prayerfulness, and am in a state of peacefulness. Often during that time, the Holy Spirit begins to roll verses of praise through my mind. In that moment, I can take that time to praise God for who He is and what He’s capable of.
I would suppose that these times are different for each of us. For me, these times find me recounting just how God has blessed me, and how His attributes have become obvious in my life.
For me, He is… El Roi, the God who sees me, just as He saw Hagar as she hid in the wilderness and showed her exactly how intimately He knew her. He has been there for me in some of my darkest moments and it was during those times that He made Himself known. It was in those times that His presence became obvious with a still small voice He quieted my worry and fears, and removed that sense of isolation we often feel during our times of deepest trouble.
He is Jehovah Jireh - The LORD will Provide. Just as He provided a ram in the thicket for Abraham, He has provided my needs. As I linger in the thoughts of all the times He has been there for me when I found myself in need: of a Savior, of a Friend, of a Lover of my soul, of a Counselor, a Comforter, joy often overwhelms my mind. He has never let me down!
He is Jehovah-Rohi - The LORD our Shepherd. In Ezekial 34:11-12 we find the Lord promising: For thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. This one is near and dear to my heart, and I have experienced the seeking of the Lord personally. I have been the lost lamb. I have been the wayward sheep, straying too far from the comforts of the sheepfold, and I’ve experienced the firm guiding hand of my shepherd as He pulled me back to safety. We can trust in Him to shepherd us. We can trust in Him to care for us in all the ways a shepherd cares for a flock.
He is Jehovah-Nissi - The LORD my Banner. When Moses and Aaron and Hur stood atop the mountain and watched as Joshua and the Israelites defeated an army of Amalekites as Moses raised hands proclaimed their dependence on God. The entirety of the Hebrew people saw firsthand that this God we serve is undefeatable! We can go confidently into any battle waving the banner of our King, knowing that He will be victorious. And who do we fight? For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Ephesians 6:12)
He is Rehovah Rapha - The LORD that Heals. Jer. 30:17 in part says “I will heal thee of thy wounds.” In Jer. 3:22 we see Him promise to heal our backsliding, and we can go on and on with the ways and things that He can and will heal, if we turn to Him. He is the Great Physician… He desires to heal our physical, spiritual, and emotional lives. It’s up to us to lean on Him. Just like our medical doctors, we can not expect to receive the benefit of His great healing if we fail to follow His instructions.
I could go on and on naming the greatness of this God I serve. When I allow myself time to get into this mindset, the blessings flow. My heart moves from the things I desire of God to the things He’s already done for me in my life, and then to a desire to know Him more and to be of better service to Him.
Suddenly, I go from looking at my problems, or the problems of others to being glad to call Him, Abba (Father) or Adonai, (Master). I long to find ways to serve Him, not out of duty, but out of gladness!
