"At the Name of Jesus"

I was sitting on my couch this evening, making sure I had all the sign ups on the Bethlehem project list, working at processing the last week in my mind when my phone text message chirps at me. It isn't unusual for a friend or two or three to text me just to see how I am doing or see what I am up to(in which case I tell them 5'7" and whatever I happen to be doing).

I glance at the phone and as I thought one of my friends. So I finish typing whatever I was typing and then I pick up the phone and read the message.

Second friend in a 24 hr period to ask me a deep thought question from two very opposite left fields.

So I think for a while and reply finally. I am sure that friend was in agony about my reply.

In the course of our almost hour long conversation I was digging through my Bible to find the answers I wanted to give this friend. And as I was digging I was given a peace because of one of the verses I read and then sent off to my friend.

I am going to back up a bit here. Stay with me.

Monday started with sorting Bethlehem costumes and finding out a coworker passed away. My coworker had been fighting cancer since earlier in the year. So going to work the rest of the week was normal but with all the usual work related drama there was this underlying feel of grief throughout.

This made for a weird week at work but I was determined that I would not let it get me completely down. I spent many an hour praying for the family of the coworker who died and the coworkers around me .

Tuesday was election day.... I have never been so happy to have the privilege of knowing I HAD to interrupt my nap on lunch break to vote. I was and still am so tired of the politic circus and the stupid little things that are meaningless that people are making such a big deal out of.

For whatever reason I decided this week to start a new devotional on my phones Bible app.
Through out the week this devotional kept reminding me that God is my Father. My Abba.

Here is the devotional from the first day.

"For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!"

Romans 8:15 NASB

Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.
Galatians 4:7 NASB

Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.  But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.
Matthew 10:29‭-‬31 NASB

“Good Good Father” Devotional
Chris Tomlin

The Bible is not discreet about our relationship with God. It is clear. God is our Father; we are His children. In fact, God is identified as our Father 265 times in scripture. Most of those are found in the New Testament, because through Christ we have a new identity as an adopted child of God.

Romans 8:15 says, “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’” Galatians 4:7 says, “Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.”

You're a good, good Father
It's who You are, it's who You are, it's who You are
And I'm loved by You
It's who I am, it's who I am, it's who I am

The word “father” invokes up all sorts of images for people. For some, “father” is associated with warm memories, laughter, family trips, or long conversations on a front porch. For others, the word is associated with absence, rejection, hurt, or pain. 

At times, we have greatly distorted what the role of a father was intended to be.

This is why it’s so important to understand that God is not only our Father, but He is a good Father.

You may believe you are a child of God, but do you believe, really believe to your very core, that you are loved by God? This can be a difficult truth to grasp, even for the most fervent believer. Guilt, shame, and sin can prevent us from believing in and experiencing the love of God. Bitterness and past experiences remain in our hearts and minds, and over the years we grab hold of a lie that He wants good for others but not for ourselves.

Oh, I've heard a thousand stories
Of what they think You're like
But I've heard the tender whisper
Of love in the dead of night
And You tell me that You're pleased
And that I'm never alone

This sort of thinking is counter to what scripture says about God as our Father. Think about how the Father figure of God is described and what this says about His character:

He embraces the prodigal son, and the older brother—He is loving, accepting, and patient. (Luke 15)

He takes care of the sparrows but says He cares much more for his children than the sparrows—He provides and is attuned to our needs. (Matthew 10)

He goes after every single lost sheep until it is found—He pursues a relationship with us and doesn’t ever get tired of looking after the lost. (Luke 15)

The two truths that have the most transformative power in your life are that you are God’s child and God is a good Father. Tell yourself that today, over and over. It’s who you are, and it’s who He is."

So as I am sitting here reviewing my week and talking to my friend it suddenly struck me(I am pretty sure I have been struck with this thought before and probably several times.....sometimes it doesn't stick the first time).

I had consciously and subconsciously asked for guidance and peace and direction all week long from Jesus.  

God knew that I would need the comfort that came from that first days devotional. God knew that I was going to share a couple of Bible verses I memorized as a kid with my friend(s). God knew that my emotional level would be pushed to its limit this week. God knew that I would find peace at the Name of His Son, Jesus.

Ladies and Gentlemen.

Abba is Jesus. 

Emmanuel is Jesus.

Wonderful Counselor is Jesus.

Mighty God is Jesus.

Everlasting Father is Jesus.

Prince of Peace is Jesus.

and Jesus is sitting at the Right Hand of the Throne of God.

Jesus is still in complete and utter control of this world and who rules and where. 

Jesus will love the families who lost and buried loved ones this week.

Jesus will love and care for those coworkers and myself as we each work through our grief in different ways. 

Jesus.

When you say His name do you get chills? Shivers? Peace deep down in your soul?

What do you feel when you say the name Jesus?

What do I feel when I say the name Jesus?

I feel a sense of peace and joy all bundled together because "at the Name of JESUS" my heart falls to its knees in awe and wonder of my Savior and at His feet I find peace. He is the reason for my Smile this last week and when I let Him completely and utterly carry my burdens He fills all the holes where those burdens were with His Joy.

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus

There's just something about that Name

Master, Savior, Jesus 

Like a fragrance after the rain.

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus 

Let all Heaven and Earth proclaim

Kings and Kingdoms will all pass away

But there's something about that Name.

Phillippians 2:10 NASB

"so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,"