Words that describe God – A – Family Edition

Day 1
 
Astounding, 2 Samuel 7:21 – Gwendolyn
Awe-inspiring, Psalm 65:8 – Jack
Awesome, Psalm 66:3 – Caleb
Always, Matthew 1:23 – Betsy
Aurora Borealis, Psalm 19:1-3 – Brian
 
Day 2
 
Available, Psalm 139:7-12 – Gwen
Alright, Deuteronomy 32:4 – Jack
All-powerful, Joshua 4:24 – Caleb
Ahhh, 2 Corinthians 1:3 – Betsy
All-knowing, Psalm 139:1-6 – Brian
 
Day 3
 
Accepting, Acts 10:34-35 – Gwen
Amorphous, Isaiah 57:15 – Jack
Amazing, Luke 9:43 – Caleb
Aglow, Revelation 21:23 – Betsy
Asleep, Matthew 8:23-27, 26:36-45 – Brian
 
Day 4
 
Ageless, Isaiah 40:28 -Gwen
Architect, Genesis 1:1 – Jack
Abundant, Deuteronomy 30:9 – Caleb
Attractive, Psalm 27:4 – Betsy
Adventure, Proverbs 3:5-6 – Brian
 
Day 5
 
Artist, Isaiah 64:8 – Gwen
Active, Psalm 121:4 – Jack
Accessable, Isaiah 57:13 – Caleb
Alone, Psalm 86:10 – Betsy
All, Colossians 1:17 – Brian
 
Day 6
 
Accompanying, Matthew 28:20 – Gwen
Affixed, Psalm 139:7 – Jack
Acclaimed, Ezra 3:13 – Caleb
Abundant, Deuteronomy 30:9 – Betsy
Abandon, John 17:14 – Brian
 
Day 7
 
Accurate, Numbers 23:19 – Gwen
Aware, Job 28:24 – Jack
Adoring, Acts 2:21 – Caleb
Among, Deuteronomy 31:6 – Betsy
Aquire, Galatians 3:13-14 – Brian
 
 

7 Words that describe God- ‘Z’

7 Words that describe God- ‘Z’:
 
Zapateado
Zealous
Zeitgeist
Zenith
Zest
Zoo
Zoro
 
When I was a camp counselor, we used to sing “Romans 16:19” by Chris Tomlin. One of the verses of the song is:
 
“And the God of Peace will soon crush Satan And God will crush him underneath your feet!(UH!)”
 

There was a dance that went with the song and we would stomp our feet with the “UH!” I know You know all this but when I learned zapateado was a Mexican dance that involved stomping the ground, I immediately thought, “This is one for ‘Z’!” Thank You, Lord, for giving us the final word for this life and with You it is, “Victory!” with a stomp!  Psalm 149:3

You are the One who has pursued me with a terrifying focus. In my youth, I was left with nowhere to run, nowhere to turn to, nowhere to hide. I was jumping at shadows, for even they could claim me. I had nothing of substance to hold onto, so it was a horrible game of nightmares and panic when the lights turned off and the doors were closed. I saw many things and heard even more, yet You would not let me drown. You reached me and showed darkness Your zealous heart for me. Your Light held power and gave life and love while casting back the shadow. I knew even then that the smallest light banishes the dark, as long as it lasts, but Your eternal flame stayed with me. It never dimmed. It never faded. Darkness fled as it realized I had been claimed by He who is greater than shadows.  Isaiah 9:6-7

Yours is the zeitgeist of all time. It ultimately belongs to You. We have different attitudes based on what only You fully know. We interpret the times based on our limited time-based experience. We can’t see all as You can. Some say the zeitgeist of our time now is enslavement, maybe it has always been so. If we obey, then ‘they’ will end things like poverty. Yes, Lord, our time here is loaded with those who want to control us. Our belief in You, as the One who created us, is the Only Author of if there even are any limits. You are about freedom, but ‘freedom’, when defined by any other is another form of enslavement. If we make You the Zeitgeist of our lives, then I believe the shackles will fall. For the one who defines how high is the sky becomes the author and director of everything beneath it. You Who knew no limits, not even death itself, is Who I want in control of my life. May You be my Zeitgeist. Revelation 12:9

You are my Zenith, my highest point. There is nothing in my life that is higher than You. What You want for me is what I daily train myself to want. Whichever direction You point me in is where I seek to go. How You want me to get there is how I determine my steps. Why You want me to be there I trust in You. When You want me to go is when I take my first steps. Who You want me to go with is who I bring along or whom it is I am to follow. There is nothing and no one else I seek for guidance, no other point or person in my existence. You always raise my eyes up. I am never brought low in my soul when I consider Your generosity towards me. Everything about You makes me better. The journey You bring me on is like the journey of the magi that followed the star. You brought them to Your Son. I, like them, endeavor to do the same.  Psalm 75:6-7

You are my greatest joy, my Lord. You are my Zest! Knowing You brings me to worship. Reading of You blesses my mind. Talking about You is the only subject worth talking about. Praying to You gives me peace even when life is crazy. Writing about You in this exercise has been glorious! I thank You for giving this to me! You bring my thoughts into words and use my action to write it. You have daily filled me with the zest needed to accomplish the task. I have enjoyed talking with You to figure out how this would even be completed. You guide me daily in my thoughts and provide me a way to see You wherever they go.  Psalm 27

More than a word, a zoo is a place. Zoos are what brings to people what they’d never see without. Elephants, lions, hippos, tigers, kangaroos, etc. are not everyone’s daily experience. You bring me to new things all of the time. In much the same way as a zoo, you help me to recognize there is more to life than what I am confronted with. We gain humility when we see how big is the world. For us to see and know that You answer all kinds of prayers very differently, strengthens our faith. From silverback gorilla prayers to pygmy marmoset ones, we see that we truly can come to you with all kinds of requests. I gain comfort from knowing You, even a portion of how big You are, and that You care for even the smallest creature. Nothing misses Your Eye. You consider all things. You are my Zoo, and every time I consider You I am confronted with how much I don’t know.  Genesis 1:25

You are my Zoro, my hero who saved me from the villain. Too often do I look to myself and my strength for deliverance and protection, but I am unable to save anyone, least of all myself. I know it’s rare for me to see outside of myself, but when I do, I see a multitude of things. I take myself too seriously. Perhaps all is not as I see it. Perhaps everyone is fine and there is no need for concern. Here I am at the end of this exercise and I had the thought to delete all of it. It is just another example of my ego after all. Then I look around. I see others hopelessly trapped in their own cells, and the mirror falls. I look down at my chest and I see the mark, His mark, like the one Zorro would leave behind telling all he was there. I can’t save them, but You can. I am a witness as Your mark on me testifies.  2 Timothy 4:18

7 Words that describe God- ‘Y’

7 Words that describe God- ‘Y’:
 
Yacht
Yahweh
Yearbook
Yeast
Yield
Yodel
You
 
Hahaha, You are my Yacht! Your favor makes others seeth with jealousy as I sail by. “What about the starving children?!” they sneer. “He’s so selfish!” they say as the length of You gives them time to reload another disdainful remark. Still going, they huff and puff trying to offer a damning comment that would return me to them. Still going, even I am beginning to wonder, “Is this cruel, Lord?” “Let them mock my love for you,” You reply. “Yes, Lord,” says I, “then wash my hands and head as well!” “No need, for you are clean,” You say as You finish sailing past the foe. I look back wanting to offer them some comfort as they continue to shout at me, but their voice fades as they become smaller. “When will they turn and see their yachts anchored at the harbor?” I ask, but then You pick up speed and all questions, no matter how well-intentioned, are left to float as a buoy warning any who follow of the rocks of pride.  Psalm 84:12
 
Thank You, oh LORD, for giving us a Name by which we can call You. A Name that was given to us from the fire that didn’t consume, but made holy. You told Moses to offer it as proof to Your people that his mission was from You and that their salvation was nigh. You are not a god who overwhelms his people consuming them in madness. You do not use us up and cast us aside. You are not in the business of abuse but are in one of sanctification to make us holy. You gave us a Name that tells us we are not alone. It reassures us by letting us know You beyond that of idolatry. They have an image that they made with their hands, we have a Name.  Exodus 3:13-15
 
You are my Yearbook, the best highlights of my life. With You, I remember my greatest victories. I wouldn’t have had them without You. You opened the door and granted me access to power I didn’t and still don’t have on my own. I also see my painful heartaches, my missed opportunities that for some reason made sense back then. You make even those a memory best left behind. With You, I recognize nostalgia as an illusion. I remember so much that has happened in my life and so much that was said to me and how much I have changed since then. You are the theme that carries me through my painful embarrassments and unveils the undeserved possibilities of tomorrow.  2 Corinthians 9:8
 
Lord, I want You in every part of my life. There is no part that I want to hold back from You. You know everything anyway. It doesn’t make sense to keep anything from You. You know my thoughts, You’ve heard my words, You’ve seen my actions. You know my triumphs, You know my shame. It is pointless. Like feigning innocence when I run a red light in front of the police. I know what I’ve done and why and You do too. Even if all of society placed me in the right, it is Your judgment I long for. Yours is the only One that matters. Your Spirit is like Yeast to my life. You are always at work. The more I’m in line with You and Your will, the more I am able to taste Your joy, and the more free I become. Your Word helps me to discern Your path, and I want to run in it.  Matthew 13:33
 
Everything has motion. From the planets and other things in space- things beyond my view, to oceans and volcanoes- things within my view, there is only One before whom all things Yield. There is only One with the power and authority to make even time itself stand still. You are the One, oh Lord! In my humanity, within my mortal bonds, I am always moving- breathing, heart beating. One day coming will see my motion cease. Even in death, I read of the heavenly hosts singing. Is there then movement after life? If there is, the yielding, the stillness, belongs to You and You alone. I yield my thoughts and You open me to marvelous things. I yield my words and You replace them with ones that give life. I yield my actions and You provide to accomplish more than I could dream.  Romans 6:13
 
You are my song, my shout, my echoing Yodel. I stand on the mountain tops overlooking my life and I listen for Your call. I hear Your voice in the distance calling out a yodel of love. Though I may walk through life’s dark and twisted trail, Your voice echoes clearly guiding me on. Even if armies surround me and the thunder of their battlecry deafens me, Your voice cuts through the din and delivers me. Their cry that was meant to trap and terrify me has become their own doom. For You lift me high, beyond the reach of any man. The avalanche is coming and is even now at hand and will bury all. It is destruction, but I listen to Your yodel that carries me to You.  Colossians 3:17
 
You are God. You are the One I pray to in times of panic, in my desperation. In my joy, I give You praise. I turn to You because You are not me. I do not see all, You do. What I would do may have begun from good intentions, but as the chips fall, they’d reveal I only do what suits me and my fallible conscience. You are the only One who is right, pure, and good. I would have to be thousands of years old that I may see the endgame of my decisions, even then it wouldn’t reveal enough. I’d need to be there in the beginning and at the end to judge fairly if my decision was the right one. Each choice is connected to others which were made by others that were made by others… A genealogy of selfishness or charity would tell the tale. Where would I find myself without You?  Psalm 16:5-11

 

7 Words that describe God- ‘X’

7 Words that describe God- ‘X’:
 
Xboba
Xenial
Xenolith
Xerlo
Xesturgy
Xmas
Xyresic
 
You are Xboba from ancient times. You have seen civilizations rise and fall. Scripture says (Psalm 22:28, 66:7) You directed them to keep Israel an obedient nation. Satan says in the New Testament (Matthew 4:8-9) that he controls them. Scripture also says (John 8:44) satan is a liar so he cannot be trusted. You have seen faith rise and fall. Is it stronger to walk on water than to love your enemies? To heal a man born blind than to open the eyes of the ignorant? What does it mean to follow faith throughout time, to witness the effect of Your people? To watch how You have lead them through kings and wars, inventions and paupers, perspectives and philosophies, that would be an education worth having. I would very much like to see that timeline. We scratch at things and claim it is worthy of note and give Ph. D’s to those who study them, but You are the only One worthy of note. Our history books ought to read very differently.  Daniel 7:9-10
 
Your love always challenges me.  I know I am cautious with the unfamiliar.  You are Xenial.  You welcome the foreigner, those who think differently and are from another place.  Thank You that we don’t have to look the same, act the same, or talk the same.  When I consider myself, how am I any better than anyone else?  When I consider another, how are they any worse?  All elevation of differences of trait, appearance, accent, background, etc. have more to do with pride and vanity than love.  But based on what?  Because they were born from a different place?  It hardly seems fair or appropriate to gain or lose favor based on things no one chose.  Thank You for showing us a better way.  You love both the Jew and the Gentile.  Hebrews 13:1-2
 
You clothe me in You. You wrap around me. I want others to see You, not me. You are my Xenolith. You protect me in arms of stone. With cooled magma, you embrace me. I am enveloped and made new. You never leave me alone to fend for myself. I remember when I was a kid, we went on Wilderness Trips. One trip, it had rained for days, worse than any other before or since. It was cold, everything was wet. We camped at the bottom of a hill and were washed out in the night. We climbed up the hill in the dark to resetup camp at the top. I was last and didn’t have a flashlight. I tripped, everything fell out in the rain. By the time I made it to the top, I was shaking uncontrollably with the beginnings of hypothermia. A man named Mark waited for me. He held me in his arms until I wasn’t shaking so bad. The other kids slept close around me that night. Just like Youth Sponsor Mark, and my friends, You surround me and draw me near.  Deuteronomy 31:8
 
Though I’ve learned xerlo means- a person’s place or their things that they keep at their place, You are the One I want most in my home. So for this list and to accomplish this exercise, You are my Xerlo. My home can be filled with top-of-the-line gadgets and appliances, unique conversation starters, comfortable couches and chairs, beautiful art and plants, and thought-provoking colors and interior design, all of which would be very nice but if I don’t have You, it is pointless. I want my home- whether it be a palace or a cave, to be a dwelling place for Your presence. I have been to enough places that carry a different presence. If I were to “scratch the walls”, I feel like the place would crumble. But with You, a place is filled with joy and peace beyond gadgetry.  Revelation 21:1-4
 

I had to learn some new words for this letter and I don’t know if I am using them correctly, but I know Your work in me improves me. You polish me, in a way, and make me shine. Your xesturgical practice makes me better and makes You a Xesturgeon. You polish me by purging me from my sinful state. You clothe me in better robes than I own. You prepare me to shine like a jewel in Your kingdom. You loved me in my unpolished state. I know I was hard and jagged and covered in dust, but Your work of xesturgy made me into what I couldn’t make of myself. I would be lost in a pile of worthless rock. We all look the same without You- striving to matter, striving for gain. Thank you for Your love which makes the worthless into something of great value.  Psalm 144:11-14

Tis the season! Well, close. Thank You for coming to us! I don’t think I would have known or even have been expecting. I would have gone about my day ignorant of Your arrival. “Great, another baby. Another mouth to feed. And look at them! In a stable, nonetheless. That’s no place for a birth,” I can hear myself grumble. What would I have done differently? Complain, that’s for one. Maybe plan the trek to Bethlehem a little better, for two. If that is his ‘hometown’, surely Joseph had family or friends there. Fine, say he didn’t. I wouldn’t have my son born in a barn! I’d find a couple or someone to switch rooms with. Old man Jenkins can sleep in the hay for the night! “My wife is having her child for crying out loud!” I’d say. If I didn’t have money, Mary rode a donkey, sell that. No time?! Well, this is just great! Yeah, I’d miss it totally. Merry Xmas!  Luke 2:1-21

You are Xyresic, oh Lord. You cut right to the truth of me. Your sharpness never dulls because You want more for me. It is written, “For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12, WEB) Though I know I am subject to the judgments of man, You know my heart. I am more than safe with You. When I look around at those who don’t know You, they are like zombies- always hungry, never filled. They wander around dazed with arms outstretched trying to find another person to devour. If they would taste You, and submit to Your xyresic Word, they would see and know that You are good. Thank You, Lord, You are the only cure for our zombie-like state.  Hebrews 4:12

7 Words that describe God- ‘W’

7 Words that describe God- ‘W’:
 
Watchful
Way
Whimsical
Wind
Wise
Wonderful
Worshipful
 

Yes, Lord, You see everything. Nothing is hidden from You. You are more than a mere witness, You announce judgment, defend me against my enemies, and pay the price of my conviction. You are ever Watchful and Your eyes examine my heart. There are those who believe You don’t concern Yourself with our trivial matters, and there are those who see how You care for a bird. May Your watchful eyes rain down Your glorious favor on Your children. May Your loving tears nourish and grow more awareness of Your presence in our lives. May we see and be confident of Your ability to accomplish what You set out to do over, around and within us.  Psalm 38:8

You are the Way in which I should go. Each day presents a path. When I come to a crossroads and it is decision time, I look to Your Holy Spirit to make clear which I should choose. I know my self determines much in its stubborn pride, in its sin, in the lessons I have learned from my past, and being able to sleep at night in peace. My wife helps me to understand with eyes not my own. I know her, she is Your daughter, a better woman for me I cannot find. I can trust what she sees, even though I know it is jaded, imperfect as my own. Friends and family take their part, though one I choose and the other was chosen for me. The years I’ve spent with them make clear their reasons. The community I’m in also aids in the choice. Like friends, if chosen wisely, the community looks to Your Word to guide. Though interpretation wades through mires of ignorance and corporate selfishness, greed, and pride, I can see the value they bring. My path may not be the straightest thing, John, but I know as we look for His footprints, the following makes us better.  Isaiah 55:8-9

There are times when Your activity in my life has been playful and almost Whimsical. When my family went for a walk and we asked You to join us. You let it snow maybe an inch or so, so we threw it at each other and made small snowmen. Then by the time we made it back to the car the snow was gone. Or that time I was raking leaves and I asked You for help. You sent a mini-tornado across my yard. No, it didn’t really help, but it made me laugh big time. Or when I asked You to write ‘Love’ in the sky and You sent me the only heart-shaped cloud I’ve ever seen. When my daughter said she wanted to see a rainbow the next day, and though it was way out of season, the next day You gave her a double right over her school’s entrance. Repeatedly and over so many times, You’ve acted and answered in very odd and whimsical ways. Though it makes me cry, I can hear You laugh. My tears are of gratefulness.  Romans 12:9-21

You are like the Wind to me, my Lord. You pass by me in breezes that comfort, and raging tempests that destroy. I endeavor to learn Your ways, both gentle and fierce. The gentle is a whisper that opens doors within that guide me to a deeper understanding of Your favor. The fierce is a gale that blows me away and lifts me from this place. I have built a tower, a place to dwell. From it, I can see the landscape, enough to know I am safe. If I were to remain, I would be satisfied. You remind me my safety is not in such things. Your wind would blow my tower down. How else do we learn our dwelling is not here? How else do we leave our place of comfort where slumber steals away what we’d receive from You in our wakefulness? “Blow Wind blow, come blow over me.”  Isaiah 11:15

You are Wise. In fact, You hold its definition in Your hands. Not only that, but Your Word says You used wisdom to create this world, Proverbs 3:19. You said its price was so high, ‘though it costs all we have’, Proverbs 4:7, get it. Then You took wisdom and fulfilled it that we may be made into new creations in Your kingdom, 2 Corinthians 5:17. You opened wisdom’s door for all of us. The frantic desperation to gain something we can never unravel or truly understand is gone. You’ve given us a reward beyond any price we could ever pay. All praises be unto You!!!  1 Corinthians 1:24
 

Your wonders none can fathom. Though by now I feel I may be repeating myself, it matters not. You are Wonderful. I could repeat that forever and it wouldn’t begin to tell of Your greatness. I am caught in awe of You, oh eternal One. We concern ourselves with the small things we can do. We see how our ‘little’ influences the environment around it. We want to matter, but how can we? We are talking dust. Do we grab at the flowing river of life to try to contain its motion keeping a moment for ourselves? Foolishness! Yet You intervene. You gave the river its speed, its direction. You ordered it to flow and it will continue until You say it should stop. Oh, wondrous One, I praise You and am grateful for Your attention. Romans 11:33-35

You are the only One who we worship. There are no other gods like You. Sure there are things that affect us and change our station. Money can make all the difference for a family, for a person. Worshiping money, striving for it, sacrificing for it, compromises a person’s character. Greed and jealousy are its offspring. Money doesn’t care if I am a good person, but You do. You love me. Worshiping You changes me. Worshiping You straightens my crooked ways. Worshiping money is like worshiping the sun and moon. They are all Yours. They belong to You and are tools to be used for Your purposes. All things here remain on this side of the grave. Their effect is for the living but Yours is beyond the grave. You are the Worshipful One who sought us out and sacrificed for us. Tools do not do that for anyone.  Psalm 73:25-26

7 Words that describe God- ‘V’

7 Words that describe God- ‘V’:
 
Valiant
Victory
Vigilant
Vision
Vivid
Voice
Vulnerable
 
You are the Valiant One. There is no one more courageous and determined than You. Your bravery to face and submit to a lesser foe is a little, I mean way beyond, my understanding. Many try their best to be like You, myself included, but if we knew our efforts would only scratch the surface of the path You walked, we might not be so “Holier than thou”. I know I can be more than brazenly indignant when even a hint of the stench of injustice reaches my nose. Who submits themselves to ants, to mosquitoes? Do we not with one stroke defeat our foe? Yet You did just that. You bravely faced the only future that would bring us back to You. 2 Samuel 17:10
 
Heavenly Father, I know that normally I ask You first what word I should use to describe You with for the day, but today I want to talk about Victory. You have it completely. There is no one else who does. All bow to You. All submit before Your holy Word. You may have come vulnerably the first time, but mountains will melt like wax and the stars will fall from the sky when You return Lord Jesus. Everyone who stands will crawl. Everyone who speaks will choke. Everyone who laughs will groan. For the Day will come and has already been set to bring this world to its end. All those who do not call on Your Name will hide, but the rocks can not cover their hearts and minds. You hold the Victory, that word has no meaning otherwise, except for madness. 1 Corinthians 15:57
 
You take up my cause and are careful to attend to me. You, the maker of the stars, You, who holds all things together, You, are Vigilant over me. Nothing surprises You. Nothing catches You off-guard. The plans of the wicked come to naught though they try to strike me down. They know which way I am going for I seek to follow You. Whatever can be done to trap me in the pit of legalism or in the prison of indulgence, they are quick to mislead. These ditches on either side of Your path are trivial to You, for Your Love is quick to extend Your hand to pull me from both.  Psalm 121
 
Lord, with You as my Vision, I see people as Your children. When I see them with Your eyes, I am able to serve without prejudice, without need. I am able to see others as Your creations filled with Your Spirit to accomplish great things. If I were a thief, I’d see them as marks- targets for me to steal from. If I were a salesman, I’d see them as customers- potential buyers of my product. If I were a doctor, I’d see them as patients- those in need of medical attention. If I were a superstar, I’d see them as fans- my faithful audience who values what I say. If I were a professor, I’d see them as students- sheep in need of a shepherd. But when I see them as Yours, we are all equal under Your love, in need of Your grace. I can’t see anything like that without You as my Vision.  Joel 2:28
 
I’ve heard how many see Heaven as a place of color so vivid it blows the mind. I once stared at a flowering bush that almost hurt my eyes. The deep green of grass below looked almost black and made the bush’s color even brighter. I stood there shocked, my wonder prevented me from leaving that place, but I had to. We are still where Time reigns, where flowers wilt, where friends and family die. This life here will end, either Jesus comes back or we go to Him, but to think of a time without time, I could continue to stare and be lost in Your Beauty. I know I am not Moses and the bush was not lit by flames, but like the fire that did not devour, the colors on the bush are a permanent fixture of You- so Vivid, so entrancing.  Luke 2:19
 
May I be ever attentive to Your Voice. May I heed Your call. May my ears strain to hear it as my soul yearns to obey it. If at times Your Voice is stern, may I be quick to repent. Your voice over me sings of such resounding mysteries. May I dance to Your song for You give voice to greater things than I know. The voiceless find their voice in You. The oppressed and the downtrodden find solace in the Voice who made the earth and sky. Kings learn to abide beneath Your tones. Their voice bows to Yours. Your mouth uttered the Word that gives life and aligns all to Your will. Your voice teaches me to obey Your Word. As I submit to You, I am placed among the stars. May I treasure Your whispers. Your Voice is everything to me.  Hebrews 3:15
 
One of the great mysteries is that You made Yourself Vulnerable to us. You came here as a baby, not as a mighty warrior. They laid You in a manger in a barn surrounded by shepherds, not in a palace surrounded by guards. They wrapped You in a baby’s clothes, not a fine royal robe. You grew to be a man, a carpenter by trade, not a prince soon to be king. You were surrounded by the untrustworthy and traitors, not by faithful stewards. You showed them how to serve, not how to command. You came to give, not to take. You loved instead of lorded. They arrested You when they should have honored you. They beat and ridiculed You when they should have worshipped and revered You. They gave You a crown of thorns when they should have given You one of gold. They sentenced You to die when they should have praised You for Your life. They nailed You to a cross when they should have seated You on a throne. You died a sinner’s death though You knew no sin. Who knew Your path from swaddling clothes to the cross, Your trail of vulnerability, would come to this?  Luke 6:27-29

7 Words that describe God- ‘U’

7 Words that describe God- ‘U’:

Ultraviolet 
Uncontainable
Understanding
Undomesticated
Unifier
Unstoppable
Unveiled

You move beyond what I can see. My eyes often stay focused on the physical plane, but I know it doesn’t limit You. The laws of the world where I function do not bind You. I pray for more than what I can see. With my imagination, I can go there. Beyond the dimensions of Buckaroo Banzai, farther away than the furthest star, closer than a beating heart, deeper than the grave, you are there. Ultraviolet light shows us there are rays we can’t see. I’ve seen things that are hard to explain, but they are still bound by laws. You walked on water and through walls, You open prison doors and feed thousands with food that wasn’t there. Help me to see Your wavelength, the wavelength of faith, for You are Ultraviolet.  2 Corinthians 4:6

You cannot be put in a box. There is no easy ‘get-rich-quick’ scheme with You. No “Now that I’ve done this…” whether it be healing, signs/wonders, exorcism, resurrection, baptism in water and/or the Spirit, there isn’t a quick path that says “It’s done, now I’m a Christian. I’ve got my ‘ticket’, my proof”. Faith in You isn’t defined that way. You aren’t defined by those things. Yes, You give us power to do those things, but as soon as we take our eyes off of You and what You’ve done to look at ourselves and what we’ve done, we sink under the waves that were never meant to hold us up. Thank You for not being contained to a time or a place for we would weaken our confidence in You outside of each. You are Uncontainable.  Psalm 92:1-2

You more than know me, my Lord, You understand me. You have the most intimate knowledge of who I am and You ‘get’ me. Your Word says You know when I sit and when I rise. Well, so does Google, Siri, Amazon, the F.B.I. etc., but it’s what You do with that knowledge that’s the rub. They give me links to stuff that fades, shipments of packages tied up with strings. They might be a few of my favorite things- digital worlds where I’m more than healed, where I have the power to affect my surroundings, where I determine the outcome, where I am king. But it’s fake, merely a video game. I know it is. You call me ever beyond this place. No matter what ‘they’ know, it fades. They know the fading me. Only You know my secret name. You’re the One who gives it to me. It is eternally more important for me to understand You, than for You to understand me. I am a piece of dust- here today, gone tomorrow, but You are eternal and You do understand me.  Psalm 8

A dog’s domestication fulfills a need and gives it purpose for survival in humankind’s world. If left on its own, it becomes wild and is a danger to all who come near. A veterinarian can give it shots and do check-ups for its health when it is domesticated. But You need no such things. You are Undomesticated no matter how comfortable we try to make ourselves in Your presence. You are love, so we are not in danger. You are kind, so we trust in You. But to think we can train You to behave in a way that fits our culture, Whose blessings fit our schedule, that is folly. We think we know, but who can domesticate the wind? A fire? An earthquake?  Romans 8:6-9
 
I have spoken with and met a lot of people who would have nothing to do with each other outside of You. Sports team rivalries, Alma-mater rivalries, family feuds, etc., bitterness has a strange way of twisting things. I’ve met with people who would die for You but would never extend the hand of fellowship to another believer. I have worshipped You alongside many who hold Scripture as sacred. They sing the same songs, read the same verses, dedicate their lives to You and yet would prefer to demonize each other than see that they will be enjoying heaven together. Politics and titles aside may we see how Your heart is to unify us to be closer than brothers.  John 17:20-21
 
You are unstoppable as a runaway train, like an avalanche nothing can slow you down. You break through any wall, any boundary. Your enemies have tried to stop You, to halt the progress of Your Kingdom. Their plans are to steal, kill, and destroy Your people. But they are stoppable. Their day is short, their time limited. You are patient, but they should not take Your patience as permission. When Your Day is at hand, they will be silenced, but the voices of those who worship You will ring out. You are unstoppable! Your Kingdom come, Your will be done.  Job 42:1-6
 
You’ve kept hidden Your plans, though they were told about long ago as if behind a veil. You allowed things to be separate. Wisdom had its day. You warranted us to the understanding of barriers, sacrifice, and holiness. You kept us in fear that we may one day follow our forefathers in their disobedience. You permitted us to know the folly of perfection. You tolerated within us the hopelessness of earning our salvation. Then You came. At the right time, You revealed Your plan. To fulfill all things, You took away the veil. The separation was torn, the barrier broken. The price was paid and we were made into new creations. You brought us into Your presence washed white in Your holiness, redeemed in Your righteousness, saved by Your blood.  2 Corinthians 3:18
 


7 Words that describe God- ’T’

7 Words that describe God- ’T’:
 
Taxi
Teacher
Testimony
Therapist
Three
Trailblazer
Truth
 
You are my ride, my Taxi from this life to the next. In desperation, I called to You. By faith, I entered Your door. Because of the price paid for me, my ride is free. You paid my fare knowing it wasn’t fair. The traffic of guilt, regret, and condemnation were blasted away with one honk of Your glorious horn. Your Son made the way for my destination. Because of His divine invitation, I am brought before His seat in Your throne room. I hear there’s a mansion on the way, take Your time my Holy Cabby. Crank up the tunes! The worship of angels fits this place. Jonah 1:17-2:10
 
You are the One whose lessons guide in the way of righteousness. Your class is one I can’t afford to skip. A seat in the front row is my place. Your Word open in front of me, Your curriculum is holiness. Your homework adds to my life. My dog cannot destroy it, no matter how I’ve trained it. I can’t take enough notes, for the blessings they give to me are countless. When it comes to test time every bit of studying counts, every time I value Your teachings over my desires prepares me for victory. The apple I put on Your desk is my submission of the one Adam and Eve took in disobedience. May I learn from Your first students and even more from Your Son who fulfilled the class requirements for the rest of us. You are my Teacher so perfect and wise. May I remain Your student to the end of my days. John 13:13
 
Because of You, my story is worth telling. If not for You, my story would be no different from the world’s. I’d be doomed to repeat the fading tale of hopelessness. I’d be left in a panicked frenzy to grab all I can on my way to finality. I would be among the lost, stealing from each other and clawing as we’d fight to be at the top of this muddy hill. If we make it to the top, our prize fades even as we hold it aloft. Our laugh of victory has the limit of our breath. Before we know it, our time is over and another is at the top. We are forgotten as the game continues. This ‘king of the mountain’ is madness. But You give us a new name. You save us from repetition, from our doom. You are the King and Your mountain is holy. You are my Testimony. 1 John 5:9-12
 
You know me completely. If I have an issue or a problem, You know how to untangle the mess in my head. I trust You. You know the end before the beginning. You can not be fooled or mislead. You can not be manipulated or bribed. I’ve seen when liars win, when cheaters break the system. I’ve witnessed the ‘innocent’ card played to perfection. I’ve heard the stories of wickedness acted out on the helpless. I’ve learned of oppression so stark it crushes people beneath its weight. Their victory is short-lived. They do not hold eternity. Their effect on the mind, the soul, leaves wounds only You can address. I wait on You, mighty One. You are my Doctor, my Therapist. You know how I’m to be saved. Hebrews 4:12
 
741-852-963, You are my 7 and my 3. You fulfill all things, every jot, and tittle. 3 in 1, how am I to understand? Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Are You like an egg- shell, egg white, yolk? Or like water- ice, water, steam? Perhaps You are more solid like a mountain- mountain, rock, sand? Or airier like a storm- cloud, thunder, lightning? A tree- trunk, branch, leaf? Are You like the speed of a car- fast, slow, park? Or even a computer- screen, tower, keyboard? However I am to understand You, my own roles reflect Your triune state- son, husband, dad.  I see You in every way and in everything. 1 John 5:1-6
 
You are the Trailblazer in the wilderness of my soul. Everything is so loud here, it screams for our attention. Yet You remain true. Your compass is always right. No matter the obstacle, You make it to Your destination. Let the world scream, it hated Your Son and did what You knew it would. They gladly fulfill their lot. They call from the pit to lure those who have ears to hear. May I not even hear them, but have compassion for them that they might be saved. May my eyes stay focused on putting one foot in front of the other. May I follow the trail You’ve left us and fulfill what You have for Your followers. You blazed this trail and paid for it in blood. John 14:1-4
 
Thank You for being the Truth. No matter what I do, my version of the truth is always jaded; it is always one-sided. I’d need a persuasive lawyer to manipulate everyone to see things my way. My innocence would then not be determined by an actual examination of the facts, but by another’s interpretation of the facts. I can understand why then we are to remain silent when they falsely accuse us. You did when they accused You, Lord Jesus. But because of You, Truth is not silent; it is not void. You stand no matter the jade, no matter the persuasive argument. The jury may be convinced, but there is no courtroom here whose judgments are higher than Yours. You break their bank filled with the currency of lies. If not for You, everything falls and we are lost. Thank You for being the Truth, my Lord, and my God. 1 John 5:20

7 Words that describe God- ’S’

7 Words that describe God- ’S’:
 
Sacred
Seven
Shepherd
Shield
Ship
Stone
Supernatural
 
You are Sacred, oh Lord. When I am with You, the ground beneath my feet becomes holy. My life becomes more than just the sum of accomplishing my desires. My life, because of You, becomes sacred. If I were to be martyred like many before me, even my death would be sacred. I wouldn’t just come to the end of my days like a bird and fall to the earth as do the leaves of a tree. If even my death would give You glory, may my lips be girded with praise to my last breath. Why waste time with anything else? I am sacred because You are sacred.  2 Timothy 3:14-17
 
369-258-147, You complete all of me. You are my 7. There isn’t any aspect of me You don’t know. My family, friends, or even enemies have no understanding, no knowledge, of what You have done within me. I myself have no clue of the depth You have reached within me to bring salvation to my door. “Who am I?” is a question left for mockers but all must ask. “Who are You?” is the question that answers all others. The Mystery who revealed Himself, Maker and Fulfiller of Space and Time, the One who knows me, You have done all to make me fit where I don’t belong but was made for. Revelation 3:1
 
You are the Good Shepherd who cares for His flock. You lead us beside quiet waters to restore us. You know the wolves hunt us. You know they spend all their energy tracking us down. They fill our nights with terror. We may sleep with one eye open, but our focus is on You. When it is time to run, You do not lead us into a trap. You show us the better path. You deliver us and scatter the wolves. It is their turn to run. There are no quiet waters to restore them, for You did not lead them there. At the right time, the wolves had thought they had killed You leaving Your flock unprotected. But then You rose again, Lord Jesus, and filled Your sheep with power. Who has ever seen a sheep in armor wielding a sword?  Psalm 23
 
You are my Shield, my protection from attack. Whether it be from friend or foe, You block their attempts and protect me from harm. Though many attacks seemed to have gotten through, I’ve found You do not protect my pride, my vanity, my selfish gain. You let those attacks strike true for I must leave all such things behind. Your shield over me teaches me what is worth protecting. In this way, I gain from the attacks I’ve suffered, for it prunes me. It helps rid me of that which You will not bless. You are my Shield, and as such- the crucible of attack and protect fashions me according to Your will.  Ephesians 6:10-18
 
This life is hard, like a raging sea, but You are the Ship that travels me through each day. Though I have lost much over the years to these waves, You’ve kept me on board. You alone know how many times I’ve wished for everything to just stop. The loss is too great. I thought I had made it to where I belonged, to where You wanted me- such a mighty castle in the sand, then the tide came and washed it all away. “I can’t do what I used to do, but I’m holding on to You,” is my banner now. You keep going and pressing me onward. To where? Wherever it is, the sea may take it, but You will keep moving me onward.  Acts 27:22
 
In Your Word, You are described as a Stone- whether capstone or cornerstone and truly You are such a Stone to me. You are the keystone for this life setting us up for the one to come. All without You crumbles and falls, for all things fail here. They all return to the dust from which they were made. You are also like the stone that fell the giant. Against impossible odds, by the hand of Your servant David, a stone slew that which many feared and were about to be destroyed by. You are akin to that stone, for like it, You have defeated sin and its destroying power over me. You slew that giant setting free all who were doomed to die and You give eternal life to all who believe. 1 Peter 2:4-10
 
In a post-scientific age, when we’ve answered enough questions to realize answers aren’t enough; when we’ve finally dug deep enough to awaken the Balrog and find that the data says whatever we want it to say; when we see the answers have always been lust and greed, those bottomless twins that devour our time and energy; when we’ve conquered all we can with the tools we’ve created; when ‘meaningless’ becomes our only and just reward; it is then that we meet the hunger that has always been. It is then that what is awakened is ever more than the Balrog. You, oh Lord, are our desire, for You walk in ways we’ve always known and distractions only have power if they can keep our attention, but we are eternal people. They were never able to keep us. We see past the facade to where You dwell, for You are Supernatural.  Acts 1:8

7 Words that describe God- ‘R’

7 Words that Describe God- ‘R’:

Relentless
Remarkable
Requiem
Rescue
Rhyme
Rhythm
Righteous

I would say this world’s ability to constantly demean and devalue is unbelievably constant, relentless even. Yours is the only voice that builds us up. As we turn to You all of the self-righteous candor is silent, the pompous proclamations pruned. We speak and act in ways that make us matter against the onslaught from others. But You, Your goodness is what is the source of the world’s angst. You are Relentless in Your love for us. So constant, so dependable, what else is the world to do but think of new ways to hate us or make us hate ourselves? It is because of You and Your Relentless love that their attacks continue. Regardless, I would not walk away from Your downpour to stand in their doomed sunshine.  Psalm 23:6

You are Remarkable, oh Lord. Your heights, no one can climb. Your depths, no one can fathom. Your thoughts, no one can understand. Your flame, no one can extinguish. Your light, no one can dim. Your peace, no one can disrupt. Your love, no one can escape. Your joy, no one can steal. Your hope, no one can disappoint. Your kindness, no one can refuse. Your grace, no one deserves. Your favor is my desire. Your pruning is my daily need. Your voice, I long to hear. Your wisdom is my prayer. Your presence is my comfort. Your strength is my salvation. Your goodness is my shield. Your faithfulness is my hope. Your truth is what binds me. Your holiness is my fear. Your glory is my light.  You are Remarkable, my Lord.  Psalm 34:8

You are my Requiem- my trading of lesser things for that which is greater, a dirge of my selfish ways. For I am to die to self to gain that which I can only receive from You. Though I’ve known You since my youth, to follow You is a daily decision. I am marked by You and seen by others with a cross on my back and a song on my lips. To sing of the dead, to use my breath of life to sing of what I have left behind is my joy. Every step I take with You is a verse, a phrase. May You be my Requiem and my Hallelujah. Hebrews 4:10

You are my Rescue, my Lord. When the waves of this life toss me to and fro, I look to You and am saved. The strength You give has led many through incredibly difficult times. Mass graves hold those who looked to You and were rescued beyond the reach of those who put them there. You have the final say, not the oppressors, not the storm. A storm does not rescue, a wave does not save. Only You bring peace, only You are stability. Rocks can not deliver no matter how deep we dig, only You can. Mountains will crumble, but You remain, and Your Word stands forever. Thank You for rescuing me from myself.  2 Samuel 22

You are my Rhythm, my common time. I want to keep pace with You, my Lord. I want to be in step with You though the world is against You, though the mockers do what they’ve been given and mock. Gossipers spread their jaded message to the undiscerning. Slanderers jump in and try to steal Your beat misleading all who follow them. They try to make foolish those who walk Your paths. They belittle their faith for it is not as compromised as theirs. Beware the drummers that march to their own beat. It looks right, they say the right words, but they are wolves in sheep’s clothing. They lead far from Your perfect Rhythm. Amos 3:3

You are my perfect Rhyme. You line me up and further my meaning from a simple phrase to revelation. With You, I can see beyond the stars. My thoughts are unbound and unlimited as I consider eternity amidst the temporal. Because You are with me, I can scale the loftiest thought. Because You are near, I can traverse through the deepest depth. My rhyme becomes blessed with You as my meaning. I am not left with awkward words that contain only death with You as my muse. No, with You as my Rhyme I have Life! Psalm 18

Lord, You are the Righteous One. Without Your absolute righteousness, how does anything stand? The very order of the universe depends on it. Morality would not exist without it. Discernment would only rest on social, historical and cultural relativism. You, the dweller and maker of Wisdom’s house, would only be a location of personal conviction instead of the flagship of reform. What is the need for accountability if You are not Righteous? How can we make straight Your way if You are crooked? Because of You, I know what is right, just, and fair. Proverbs 2:9-11