7 Words that describe God- ‘J’:

Jealous
Jewel
Journey
Joy
Jubilee
Judge
Just

You are jealous for me. You tolerate no other to get between us. When I was young, You taught me, in my youth, you instructed me. Nothing can be shared in the flame but You. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego knew. The three became four only by Your presence. May I hold tightly to You. May my eyes only look to You, for everything else fades here. It all burns.  Deuteronomy 6:4-9

You are my jewel oh Lord, greater than any priceless stone. I can’t put a value on You. Knowing You is the greatest thing I will ever have and do. All the treasures of this world added together can not even hope to match Your worth. They can’t. It is impossible. I now know why You, my Lord, didn’t bow Your knee and worship the fallen one. You would have gained everything this place has to offer. It would not have matched even a drop of God’s presence. What have I need of these treasures? With You, I can see beyond the veil.  Luke 4:6-8

Getting to know You is my greatest honor, my Lord. The journey You take me on blesses me as it prunes me. There is so much I’d rather avoid but You guide me through. You protect me as I submit myself to You. I walk in Your light and am exposed, my weaknesses for all to see. I wait for the mocking, the ridicule, to begin, but the only voice I hear from You is that of love. You claim me as Your child. This journey of vulnerability does the opposite of what I expect. You make me stronger.  Proverbs 3:5-6

You are my joy. You give me more than happiness or emotions based on favorable conditions, for like the weather, all can change in a moment. The joy I find in You is beyond this place. It is of stronger stuff. There is a weakness here based on lesser things. Selfishness raises its head and makes fleeting desires equal to Your will. Why do we think such things will stand? We don’t really even want them, for the ‘joy’ we think we’ll receive fades before it is found. It is madness to pursue the sand after it has fallen, and folly to attempt to slow the clock. May we awaken to Your joy and find the things which are eternal.  1 Peter 1:8-9

You are my Jubilee, oh Lord! The era of destructive thinking has ended. You have brought new life to me. Wayward thoughts that seek to make me less have failed. I celebrate Your freedom and rejoice in Your resurrection by marking this as my year of Jubilee. More than wishful thinking, this is a determination. I have seen the fruits of my enslavement and their decay reveals a fading resilience to convince me of my hopeless state. I stand upon You, my Lord. You, who do not rot. You, who do not fade. You, who ever shine!  Isaiah 61:1-3

Thank You for being the Judge, mighty One. You, who alone knows every thought before we do. You, who alone knows our story completely. You, who after all is said and done, are merciful, gracious and kind. I submit all I am to You, oh wise Judge. Your rulings over me are always perfect and lead me to life everlasting because I believe in Your Son. My own judgment towards myself fails for I am not a fair judge. I condemn myself with wayward thoughts. You, however, cannot be bribed.  James 4:11-12
 
You are just and right in all You do. I am not. You deliver me even from myself. You lift me beyond my own limited and shallow perspective, and You teach me there. I do things that benefit me but then they fade. If I do them Your way, they bless me and all in my house. So I know to turn to You.  Psalm 25:8

7 Words that Describe God- ‘I’:

Immanent
Important
Impressive
Incarnate
Infinite
Intimate
Intricate

You are not far from me. Even in times of silence, Your immanence astounds me. You are active and present in all things. How can we comprehend it? There is so much death and loss here, it steals the breath. We celebrate things in this fading world as if it’s our right when we should not, killing our future, our hope, in order to keep our vanity secure even as we fade. It is madness, Lord. Almost every sin is tied to it- our desperation to exist in our time of strength. How can You be active in our weakness? We do terrible things and embrace in bitterness the only ‘power’ we think we have, the power of failure and destruction, but You have not left us alone here. Your unchanging presence gives us hope.  Psalm 8

The importance of who You are and what You have done, are doing, will do, can never be diminished. It will never fade as things do here. You are the Ultimate One. You are the standard by which all things, which can’t even set foot on Your mountain, are beneath. My thoughts, will, and emotions, bow and submit to You. Thank You that I am important to You.  Matthew 4:4

You impress me. Your thoughts impress me. Your words impress me. Your actions impress me. Anything and everything about You impresses me. The fact that You, God on high, consider me, impresses me. Your thoughts about me lift me up and make me more. Your words about me strengthen me and encourage me. Your actions saved me and gave me life. You impress me, my Lord. You make me clap my hands.  Psalm 47

You are the Incarnate One. You answer mysteries with an even greater one. You came here and took the form of a man. You, who knew no sin, were baptized and lived among us. You were sentenced to die the death of a criminal. You were buried in a tomb. 3 days later, You were raised from the dead. You are now seated at God’s right hand, bringing salvation to all who believe. Thank You for Your all-sufficient sacrifice, oh Lord.  Philippians 2:6-11

There are no limits with You, oh Lord. You are infinite, Your knowledge and wisdom are unfathomable. Your love and goodness are inconceivable. You are God. You are beyond us and within us. You are beyond the reach of time, beyond what constrains us. Yet you are ever with us, ever near. Your Holy Spirit teaches and guides us and helps us through our days. You set the planets on their course. You give the stars their place to shine, and You care about my wife’s new dress and our car’s flat tire. You amaze me. There are no limits with You, oh Lord.  Psalm 147:5

You allow me to explore in Your house. Your love allows me to be free. I don’t have to walk on eggshells around You. You know my thoughts before I do. You know things about me that I may never know. What we do know about ourselves only reveals how much we don’t measure up to any standard of character and strength. Yet You allow me to walk in Your house with my muddy shoes on, sitting on Your priceless-uncovered couch when my clothes are a mess. You clothe me in robes finer than can ever be found here. You give me a crown, though we both know I’m no king. You bring me to a higher place than I could ever go. Because of Your intimacy, I can dance among the stars. It is through Your intimacy that I learned the price of the mud, and that being muddy is not Your Way.  Psalm 139:1-6

Your design for life is so intricate it baffles the mind. People devote their entire lives to delving into its vast mysteries. From the alignment of the planets to the blinking of an eye, Your plans astound us. The beating heart, the thinking brain, the feeling fingers, the twinkling toes, our bodies never cease to amaze. As we look around at the beauty around us and within, we know Your hands have made it all. Only You could have done this. Only You, our eternally intricate God.  Job 12:7-10

7 Words that Describe God- ‘G’:

Gain
Gallant
Generous
Glorious
Goal
Good
Gracious

Only after we’ve lost everything do we realize what ‘gain’ we have in You. This life here is antithetical to You. Its opposition to eternity is felt in the pain of loss. To focus on it harbors madness. To find safer shores is comfort. To focus and find You is the only gain that there is. Without You there is no gain, only loss. With You there is gain, my only sure reward.  Philippians 3:7-11

You save and deliver us, oh Lord! You ride upon a steed of righteousness and lift us from the pit. You placed Yourself in danger. You willingly went to the cross for us, to provide a way where there was no way. You place us where we could never go, to a place we do not belong. At the throne of God we bow, we worship, we dance. We are the mouthpiece of Your creation. May the words we say give You glory, oh gallant One. Deuteronomy 31:6

You are kind to me, oh Lord. You know where and how I need help before I do. You know my fears as I learn to trust in You. Your generosity blesses my life more than meeting my needs would allow. It guides me on the paths of faith, making me strong where I am weak.  2 Corinthians 9:10-11

Your splendor outshines the sun; Your glory to the ends of the earth! You display knowledge and wisdom beyond compare! The slightest word from Your mouth changes everything. Your favor is life! Oh that my ears would strain for it, that I may hear Your call! May I be found under Your gaze, may You consider me. May Your eyes look upon me and reveal any false way in me. May Your glory shine away all darkness and reveal the way for me to let go of everything and anything that doesn’t radiate You. You, the glorious One.  1 Timothy 6:15

You are my goal, oh Lord; to please You is my only aim. I have nothing without You. It is worse than nothing, for what I have here rots the bones. If You are my goal then whatever I do have is turned into seeds- seeds for vision, seeds for change. To have ‘pleasing You’ as my goal, You keep me safe amidst the waves- waves that drown, waves that destroy. May Your waves cleanse me, may they drown and destroy all that would mislead me from You, my only goal.  Psalm 33:11

You are the source of all that is good in my life and in this world. Without You, we would be lost. Left to make our own way through this life alone when we don’t even live very long or have a lasting effect on anything, would be our pointless lot. Grab as much as you can as quick as you can, only to give it all away in the end, makes me shake my head. This is the fading world. Thank You for opening the Way that doesn’t fade or end. We are but sparks here, we glow for a moment then are gone. But You, oh Lord, last forever and You are good.  Mark 10:18

Your grace enables me to be a new creation. I can now do things unattainable by human hands! I can outpace the grip of this life, escaping its pain and bitterness. I can even fly free from those who would do me harm. Though they seek to bring me low and cripple me with oppression, I can dance on the heights because You are gracious to me. You empower me to forgive, and it is a power none can defeat. I can walk on water! I can escape the flames and the lion! I can defeat the giant! Better than a stone, Your grace changes us by putting to death our old self and raising us up to be with You! You are gracious to me. Help me to walk this path with You. Psalm 116:5

7 Words that describe God- ‘F’:

Faithful
Father
First
Forefront
Forgiving
Freedom
Fulfiller

You are more faithful than I. Shiny lights, money, and fame get our attention and often mislead us, taking our eyes off of You. When Satan tempted You, Lord Jesus, I imagine memories of God’s heavenly courts made his worldly temptations seem less than paltry. Oh, that I would show such faith in the face of trial. Thank You for the better way. May I gain the discernment to know Your blessings from the trials. May I see clearly the path You would have me on. May I be resolute in my faithfulness to You so that I will never be shaken, or tossed by these waves. Deuteronomy 7:7-9

I have never loved greater than the day I became one. Heavenly Father, You help me to understand my role. You give good gifts. You help us understand who we are and what this life is for. Your love equips us and Your light reveals the way. Thank You for Your everlasting love, we need it. I need it.  1 John 3:1-3

Lord Jesus, You are the firstborn over all creation, the firstborn from among the dead. You considered us first when You were murdered. You are the First and the Last, the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. All things in heaven and earth find their fulfillment in You. Thank You, You, who will set the record straight. You, whose judgments are just. You, who knows our hearts. You, who knows what is said in the dark. You, who offers the path of forgiveness and repentance for the disobedient, mercy and grace for the foolish, to make righteous those who were wicked, bringing near those who were far. Thank You. All praise and glory be unto You, Lord Jesus. You are first in our thoughts and hold preeminence in our hearts. Colossians 1:15-20

Your favor outshines the sun, oh Lord. You give us courage to stand amidst the storm. You are not a timid God. You are found at the forefront. Thank you for never failing us or forgetting what You called us to. Your goodness knows no end. You encourage us to trust in You, to wait on You. We will see Your glory overcome the darkness. All praises be to You!  Deuteronomy 31:6

One of Your greatest mysteries that daily baffles the mind, beyond even the flight of the bumblebee, is grace. Mercy makes sense if we beg enough for it, are pathetic enough to stir the heart, but grace doesn’t. Grace is the most powerful seed for change. It is so powerful, the offender is challenged to receive what he/she could never earn. It brings life to a dry and thirsty land. Fear, revenge and recompense are also seeds, but they only grow loss, bitterness and regret. Grace gives us strength where we are weakest. Forgiveness rids us of the burden our actions made and grace clothes us in robes no hands could make. We can forgive because of Your grace toward us. I am made new by You. 1 John 1:9

You are the One in whose gaze I am always under. You consider the ways of the oppressed and You lift them up. Your ways lead not only to identity, to peace, to love, they bring freedom to those whom the lies have ensnared and forsaken. You are there to rescue no matter how determined we are to lock the gates. When we say, “We are hopelessly lost. None can save us from what our hands have done.” You bring freedom, you pass us through those gates no matter how complicated the lock. Praise be to You, Oh Lord!!  Luke 4:18-19

You fulfill all things that need to be. You fulfill wisdom itself opening the way for us to be new creations. You fulfilled the law, the Torah, and all that the prophets, the Nevi’im, said. The writings, the Ketuvim, find their meaning at Your feet. Wherever You walk, You bring completion. You have fulfilled even my heart, soul, and mind, my own Ketuvim, Nevi’im, and Torah. Thank You for bringing to completion all I could ever hope for.  Luke 24:44

7 Words that describe God- ‘E’:

Endurance
Esoteric
Eternal
Exact
Exalted
Excellent
Exciting

You endured the cross, oh Lord. You endured its shame for a joy You had to die to receive. You endure me. You patiently wait for all to come to You. You are the source of life, nothing can replace You. We continually see how people try to raise themselves above You. They will fall. You are the only good ground. Thank You for Your patience Lord!  Hebrews 12:1-3

You alone know the mystery of our hearts. Only You have the knowledge of the waves and the stars. You are the Keeper and Maker of the secret ways, ways that blow our minds, like the crossing of the Red Sea, the crossing from death to eternal life, the passage of time, and the narrow path. Let those who think they know keep their foolishness and their ‘hidden knowledge’. No matter what they think they can gain from their ‘secret ways’, they can’t plumb the depths of an ant, but You are there, O Knower of how many hairs are on my head, and of my new name.  Daniel 2:22

You are the eternal One. What You do and say lasts with no end. We will be forgotten here, maybe even before our days are done. Whatever we try to accomplish ends in dust. Even if we build tall towers, swim in lakes of gold, defeat all our enemies, and create an empire, it will fall, dry up, more will come, and it will be as if it never happened. But You, all glory be to You, You who are good, perfect, and eternal! What does dust have to do with You? You make life there. We are meant for destruction, but You enable us to last eternally with You. In Your courts, I will dance for Your unending glory. Praise be to You, oh eternal One. Psalm 90

When we look to You, Lord Jesus, we see exactly what God planned according to His perfect will. You represent for us who God is. Better than a Name, You are His manifestation- the incarnation of His Love. We just need to look to You, submit to Your Way and let our obedience be our worship. Let it ring out over our lives creating who we are and who we hope to become: faithful followers of You. Hebrews 1:3

I am blessed when I praise You, oh Lord. More than a feeling, exalting You over my life lines me up for obedience. When life wars against my faith in You, I exalt You and the path is made clear. I lay all down to take up my cross and follow You. Nothing endures like You, my Lord, nothing and no one. Flowers fade, but You are everlasting! Psalm 145

You are excellent to me my Lord! You, who have given me so much, and I, who am only good at failing, am in awe of You. Your gifts to me bring daily blessings that bring joy to my eyes. I breathe in the life You give and I am filled with wonder and peace for I know in whose hands I remain. Oh, You are excellent to me my Lord!  Psalm 8

You fill me and all Creation with eager expectation, oh Lord! Your plans are good, You reveal things in their proper time. We await for Your fulfillment of all things, my Lord. It is why we are all here. We all have been given life, a chance to see Your plans unfold. So we wait on You, some in silence like Zechariah, who did not believe, and some in song, like David who did. These are exciting times, my Lord! May my eyes be on You!  Romans 8:19