What’s in a name

I don’t know if you enjoy the Psalms or not but in different stages of my life I have gravitated to their words and found in them peace and comfort. This year in Bible Study Fellowship, I was challenged to examine the Psalms more deeply and to use them as a part of my daily prayers. As I read the Psalms, I often find descriptions of God that are beautiful word pictures. At first glance, I often don’t see how they apply to me. But these pictures become comforting as God shows us what they mean just when we need it most. Here are a few that I saw in a new light.

The first description is of God as my shield. I was able to see the protection that God has given me throughout my life even from things I had no clue about. In October, W and I talked about God being her shield after a mishap with a wasp nest. We prayed that God would help her overcome her fear of getting stung and that God would be her shield. Hopefully in time, W can take the step and trust God to be her shield in many more ways as she grows up and the fiery darts of the evil one head her way. In Ephesians 6:16, Paul tells us to have a shield of faith. Faith is believing God will see us through. God, be my shield.

“Jesus, lover of my soul” is another phrase I often sang but never really took the time to think about what it meant for me. I took for granted the truth of these words and mostly thought of the words as just poetic. Actually “Jesus, lover of my soul” is the whole gospel. It means Jesus loved me, a soul, so much he came to earth, lived, died, and rose again just so he could keep on loving me forever if I will let him. Jesus, thank you for loving me enough to be the ultimate sacrifice. May my life reveal that I am truly loved by you.

These are just two, but God has many more for me and you to discover. Word pictures that help us to see God as He is and always will be.