7 Words that describe God- ‘Q’

7 Words that Describe God- ‘Q’:
 
Quality
Quarterback
Quest
Question
Quiet
Quilt
Quirky
 
Your Quality is unquestionable. Your life is our meaning, our hope, our joy. Nothing compares to You. You are greater than the combined quintessence of all things: earth, water, air, fire, and the heavens. I am not greater. I am under You. You sit on a throne ever higher than mine. My quality is questionable, but You raise us up. You give us Your Quality. Who does that? Who can even try, let alone make it stick? Only You. This is not some replacement of royalty- when the king is tired of his throne and trades his life with a pauper’s for a day. No, You still remain. You- our King and Pauper, You paid for us in blood to remain with You eternally.  Romans 1:20
 
You are with me in the thick of this life. You are not on the sidelines. You direct me and set me up for victory. Your plays are always the best and if I obey we advance down the field. Sometimes You hand me the ball when I wish You would run it. At others, You pass me the ball when I’m in deep. The enemy has me covered, but Your throw is too perfect. I just need to open my hands and it nestles in untouched by the foe. With You as my Quarterback, what can they do? 1 Corinthians 12:26
 
You are my heart’s Quest, my Lord. To get to know You more is my only aim. You bid me to love, which is a great mystery and is an element of eternity. Nothing lasts here. Even love dies. But Your love never dies. You seek me to extend it to those who have hurt me. You are there. Your love is the only bridge that leads to hope. All other roads lead to places only You can walk and not be destroyed or marred in some way. With You as my Quest, I cannot remain unchanged. You renew and transform me from a caterpillar to a butterfly. If I didn’t long to fly, what would I care? But I do.  Psalm 25
 
You are the Question many want to ask but fear the answer. For You are both the Question and the Answer. Many live their lives to a standard, either given to them or by conviction. They judge themselves to be either acceptable or not based on how they measure up to that standard, but where did such things come from? The law. They understand punishment for breaking the law, though many hide behind excuses to cover them. Grace is something they don’t understand. Call it pride or vanity, but they would rather deny Your existence and embrace their fallenness as their only hope than accept Your love. The End is coming and is now near. Without Your grace, Your answer to our question, we have only rocks/excuses to cover us. We either seek the refuge of the dead and bury ourselves beneath the rocks, or we accept Your love and are risen again with You.  Judges 6:13-14
 
In Your silence, I learn to wait. In Your whisper, I learn to listen. I am too loud, too impulsive. When I enter a room I go to my goal. It is why I came there after all. Things that detain me from my goal, whether it be people or other priorities, I treat as distractions. In Your Quiet, you present me with paths. If I am open to Your leading, doors to wonderful things appear. If I am receptive to Your quiet, I avoid traps of pride and vanity. If I am obedient to Your commands, I would realize I am unfit for glory and praise. Only You are. You are the only One they would not mislead. Help me to listen, help me to hear. When I do, I gain the discernment between what is truly a distraction and what is Your plan.  Acts 16:19-31
 
You are more intimate than a picture or a tapestry. You wrap me in Your presence like a blanket and You comfort me. Even more, as one knitted by loving hands. A divine Quilt of Your love beckons me to recline in Your care. So soft is Your tenderness toward me. So strong, it cannot be torn. Thicker than the thickest robe, You protect me from the change of circumstance. You keep me close to You. I seek to draw nearer than even my faith would allow. “This close and closer,” is my banner’s call. May it be so, my Lord, may it be so.  Titus 3:7
 
When I think of ‘how’ You choose to do things- through the unqualified, You are odd to me. It is actually out of love that You do this. Somethings no one can claim, and should not. For Your wonders to be made known there is no better way. It magnifies Your goodness and separates Your ways from ours. When I think of Your creation- the platypus, You are strange to me. I can’t tell if it was a mad scientist’s experiment or not, but when love is shown to Your creatures, they respond in kind. You are Quirky, my Lord. You choose to be that way with us to show us we can trust You more than this place.  John 21:25

7 Words that describe God- ‘P’

7 Words that describe God- ‘P’:
 
Paddle
Path
Peace
Power
Preamp
Preeminent
Provider
 
With You, I’m never upstream without one. You provide me direction and by Your guidance, I can steer around any obstacle. Should I have gone the wrong way, I can turn around and repent. After my time with You, I see how far I’ve come and I’m not dismayed. Constantly abiding with You creates in me a clean heart, not one that is the product of this place. You enable me to keep moving beyond the pitfall, beyond the trap, to destinations that bless and strengthen my soul. I need You. If I am a boat, You are my Paddle, my Anchor, my Sail.  Isaiah 43:19
 
There are so many paths to be taken in this life, but Yours is the one I want to follow. Some people claim to be following You, but when you walk with them, you witness that the path they tread leads somewhere else entirely. You warn them, but they do not listen. You go as far as you can with them, then the hurt that their path causes becomes too great. Your call, oh Lord, echoes across the land, but they do not hear it. Your Path does not dance. Your Path holds its course. We who follow become shaped by it. We are to submit ourselves to Your direction. Lead on my Lord, lead on.  Psalm 25
 
You are my Peace. You cannot be shaken. You cannot be lost. Shame and regret attempt to toss the boat. They try to drown You out. The winds of my mistakes are mighty, the effects of my disobedience are astounding, but Your peace pursues me beyond their reach. They don’t love me and their strength fails to convict. But You do love me. The peace You give is not founded on favorable circumstance- here today, gone tomorrow. Your peace is founded on You, and Your favor is eternal. Your peace outlasts the storm, whenever it comes. Because of You, I will not be shaken. Philippians 4:6-7
 
You are very great, oh God, in glory and Power and majesty amen. We always have limits to how we understand You. To what should we compare with Your unmatchable power? Lightning? Earthquakes? Volcanoes? Babies? All of these are trifles when compared to You. Light and darkness hold a key, but here light loses its strength. Darkness merely waits for the inevitable and then overwhelms what comfort was had. With You, the Eternal One, there is no fade. You do not lose strength. Your power knows no limits as You move when and where You want. Psalm 71:18
 
You take my signal, my voice, and amplify it to accomplish Your will, Your purpose for me. My voice is too weak, hardly a whisper. You lift me out of the pit of self-destruction and place me on the heights. When I seek to boost my own signal, I end up with horrible feedback and damage listening ears. You balance my voice with others and make us into a choir singing in harmony for Your glory. With You, we are one sound, unified and strong. The enemy puts damaged chords among us. They weaken our signal, but You, my faithful Preamp, take us in stride as we are and make it enough.  2 Chronicles 5:13
 
You surpass all others, mighty God. There is no one equal to You, not even close. Yet somehow our desires ring louder. Somehow it makes more sense for us to obey our will over Yours. How do we rise above our mortal bounds? In our foolishness, it is by our existence we claim our authority to be greater. “Because I exist, I can” is ever and always less than Your preexisting state of “I am”. You are Preeminent, oh Lord. You were here before the world began, before time was born, and You will be after all is ended.  Colossians 1:15-20
 
You are my Provider, my Lord. You take care of my every need for You know them before I do. Not only for me but for my entire household. You set me to overflow that I may, in turn, help others. You are good to me, my Lord. I look to You and am not cast out nor forgotten. I am very needy and exhaust myself with my many requests, but You are so patient with me. In Your wisdom, You hold back that which I am not ready for. Blessings would turn to curses if not received in due season. Only You know when that time is. You are my Provider. May I live in constant thankfulness.  Genesis 22:13-14

7 Words that describe God- ‘O’

7 Words That Describe God- ‘O’:
 
Oak
Oasis
Obstacle
Ocean
Omega
Orchestra
Oxygen
 
You stand tall above me, a source of rest beside me. You invite me to climb in Your branches, and if wickedness is my aim, like Absalom I’ll hang. Such strength is found in You. You give me shade at the proper time. I wonder ‘neath Your presence, my Lord. You inspire me to create, to dream. What I make from my time with You stands strong. It is not weak. It will not break. I depend on You and am not forsaken. You are everywhere, and Your Spirit enables me to thrive where there is naught but ash. Yes indeed, You are like a Mighty Oak.  Isaiah 61:1-3
 
You are my Oasis amidst this dry and dusty land. There is no source of life outside of Your presence. I am protected within Your borders. Mirages mislead me into thinking sinking sand will save me. You draw me close while the windstorms rage. You invite and equip me to dig my roots deep so that when the wind blows, I will not be lost. By Your sovereignty, all other places that claim protection are doomed. Thank You for giving me nourishment beyond the dust.  Psalm 107:33-41
 
You are an Obstacle to everything within me that does not radiate You. All vanity, self-glorification, arrogance and pride, to name a few. All lust, greed, envy and anger, to name a few more. All things that are my own attempt to matter, that shout for attention and say, “Look at what I can do!” are blocked by Your love for me. You have more in store for me than what my hands can accomplish. It won’t be long before any and all trace of me is lost and forgotten. All things and everyone vanishes here sooner or later. This is the place of fading.  So like John the Baptist, may I become less and You more. You, the eternal and only One, who does not fade here. Block me from the foolish and errant ways. May I submit to You, my Obstacle, for the only way not to fade is in Your hands.  Genesis 50:20
 
The shore is strange, my Lord. It is odd to me. Everyone speaks the same way with common words, but I can’t understand it. They look and point at me and laugh, but I cannot share in their mirth. I do not understand the joke. I look to You out in the deep and I find peace. Your love for me overwhelms me in wave after wave. Your tide pulls at me and awakens my wonder. The hardened places of my heart soften under Your influence. In Your depths, I find my breath. I find life here with You that could not exist on land. Draw me deeper, my Lord, my Ocean.  Matthew 8:27
 
You hold all things in Your hands Mighty God. You are the Beginning and the End. You are the fulfillment of all things. When I think of the End, I see it as when the stars fall from the sky. When time ceases to be. I see a place beyond a cosmic pause, for to be frozen is still to be held as a continuous prisoner. You free us to the place beyond time and space, beyond the fade. Such crucibles for life are no longer needed. How does eternity begin, or how do we become fitted for the journey? We lose these temporal bodies to gain new ones, bodies that do not fade. You are the strength that does not tire, the light that does not dim. You are the Omega, the End, the Hope we are waiting for.  Revelation 1:8
 
Your whispers are an Orchestra of sound playing heavenly blessings over me. You are always in perfect tune with ne’er a sour note made. Were I to have such a chorus play for me and my actions as background music, it would ring out like a traffic jam. But even during my out-of-tune solo, You restore me like a glass of water in the desert. You, at times, guide me in sweet melodies and at others fierce overtones that invite me down better paths. My legs long to dance to Your overtures. For I know they are an introduction to more substantial things over me. Psalm 22:3
 
When I breathe You in, I do not cough. With You, there is no smokestack that chokes out hope. I can take in a fuller breath that expands more than my lungs, You expand my heart and my soul as well. With You, I can scale a wall. There is nothing that could prevent me from running after You and Your favor. With You, I can breathe past shame and regret. You enable me to outrun the deer. If I inhale even a portion of what You give to me, I am overwhelmed to the point of overflow. Your Oxygen runs through my veins giving light and life to my dreams.  Psalm 18:29

7 Words that describe God- ’N’

7 Words that describe God- ’N’:
 
Name
Narrow
Near
Nest
Net
News
North Star
 
Your Name is unlike any other, my Lord. By Your Name, we pray in power. By Your Name, kings and kingdoms crumble. By Your Name, this world bows to You. By Your Name, the weak are made strong. By Your Name, the sick are made well. By Your Name, the blind can see. By Your Name, tormenting spirits are cast out. By Your Name, wounds are made whole again. By Your Name, my life has purpose. By Your Name, we are ushered into a place not made by human hands. By Your Name, all is fulfilled and completed. By Your Name, everlasting peace is found and eternal joy is ours. By Your Name, sin finds its end.  Philippians 2:9-11
 
You warned us to not choose the wide and easy path. Your words say that many can find it and that it is easy to travel. We love ‘easy’ and shun what is difficult. People have even turned against You and equated ‘ease’ with love. But You revealed a mystery in that with You, the ‘narrow’ and ‘hard’ way is the better one. You hold all the secrets, Lord, and You guide us on better ways we would not pick for ourselves, the narrow gate and the narrow path.  Matthew 7:13-14
 
You are unbelievably close to me, my Lord. There is no ‘personal space’ with You and sometimes that scares me. You are not safe. You give and You take away without asking. You direct me in ways I would not choose. You never tolerate my selfishness and it hurts when I won’t let go. You move me when I want to be still. You change things when I want them to be the same. You make me say “Goodbye,” when I want to stay. After all the moving, changing, and farewells, I look back and see Your pruning, whittling and refining. You are God eternal, and though I am like grass- here today/gone tomorrow, Your lawn care blesses me and fits me for a Kingdom not my own. I would rather be nowhere else but this close and closer with You.  Psalm 139
 
Hidden, secret, and safe, our Nest in Your presence protects us and gives us a place for healing. Your glory surrounds us and gives us increase as we turn to You. Your nest is a safe haven for us, and as we grow we discover more of You and more about ourselves. In our discovery, we develop wings of trust and faith in You. As we remain, You feed us and teach us to fly. These wings enable us to soar with You beyond all that entangles.  You enable us to fly to Your holy city. Psalm 84:3
 
Your net has captured my heart, mind, and imagination. I have been caught by other nets that ensnare and trap, but Yours gives comfort. The other nets choke and strangle leaving no room for escape. If I struggle, they only get tighter til I am a slave doomed to be dragged in for destruction. When I am caught by You, I gain everything and lose nothing. I don’t want to struggle. I want to be drawn into You. In turn, you give me a net to draw others in. My failures are many. Those I attempted to draw in, have turned away, and blame is laid at my feet. Yet You give me a new net and bid me try again. Thank You for capturing me. May I one day bring a mighty catch to You.  Matthew 13:47
 
You are the only News worth reporting. Your News is the Good News for mankind. To hear all You have done for us out of love gives us a better understanding of our worth. There is no greater news than that of God’s Son sent to us to redeem us, who sacrificed Himself for us that we may be saved and be included in God’s Kingdom. All other news, fake or otherwise, takes a much lesser seat than Yours, oh Lord. Matthew 13:3-23
 
You are my directing light, my North Star, amidst this sea of dark. Thankfully, we don’t follow man who spins around and is lost. When we let You lead, we arrive at the destination You have for us. We accept hardship as Your pruning, we see the benefits of difficulties. Following You is not easy as You do not echo what our flesh desires. Yet, when we follow You, the corruptible dross falls away and we are left not with a desire for momentary things, but for incorruptible things. Our hearts long for that which doesn’t perish, spoil, or fade, and the only way to get there is by following You, my North Star. Matthew 2:1-2

7 Words that describe God- ‘M’

7 Words that describe God- ‘M’:
 
Magnificent
Maker
Mana
Master
Matchless
Morning Star
Multiplier
 
You are magnificent, my Lord. When I consider Your work around me and within me, I see how elaborate You are. You consider all things, and You know my day-by-day. Your beauty always impresses me, Your extravagance astounds me. I am ushered into a grander life than I ever knew. You take my breath away by showing me even a portion of what You have in store for me. You give meanings to words I don’t know and have never heard. Truly, You are magnificent!  Psalm 145:3-5
 
You make new things here Lord. Every day is an empty canvas, a blank slate, ready for Your masterpiece to unfold. We await Your return Lord Jesus, and in the waiting, we are filled with eager expectation. We know of the things that await us here while we wait for You: ill-fortune, ‘bad-luck’, and tragedy. Every day can be lived in fear of forces beyond our control, but You make beauty from ashes. You made a way for us to be with You forever beyond the reach of this place. Make in me a thankful heart that I may receive more of You.  Proverbs 3:5-6
 
Oh! Bread from heaven! You come to us in our hunger for more than this life. You fill us beyond the reach of the food that fades. For that kind only promises we will be hungry again. But with You, our hunger is forever satisfied. You show up in ways unexpected but at times most needed. Your beneficial blessings assist us and lend us strength. The freshness of Your presence is better than baked bread straight from the oven. Your aroma overwhelms all others bringing joy to our souls.  John 6:49
 
You are my Master. Serving You is my greatest joy. Everything You would have me do, from laying aside my thoughts- for they are woefully focused on fading things, to submitting to You my response to this ending world- for it is rageful as it entangles, You free me from my vices and give me better thoughts to have and better a response to give. My Master’s call rings loudly in my heart and mind and echoes in my hands and feet. May distractions fade like sparks from a fire. For the flame it entices me to is not Yours. It seeks to destroy, You seek to refine. I seek to serve You, my Master.  Matthew 6:19-24
 
Since we began, we have told millions of stories, even billions, but none have come close to You, oh Matchless One. Some are pure fiction and complete lies as they try to confuse and dilute the truth of You to be more palatable to us, but there is no comparison. You truly are Matchless! Your love, Your power, Your presence are incomprehensible. Because of You, we have to let go of how things are here- people sink in water, and we have to hold on to something that fights against the tide of worldly reason- faith. You are Matchless, there is no other.  Exodus 15:11
 
You are my bright Morning Star. You didn’t fall but came down to us, for us. You shine at all times like the others but You shine brightest and first among our sky. You invite us to shine with You in the purest of light. May I choose to shine with You, oh bright Morning Star, and in Your victory take my place among the heavens. For the Son who was sent to save us has returned in glory, but the one who was cast out remains in darkness forever.  Revelation 22:16-17
 
One of my favorite stories of You as the Multiplier was the one with the 5 loaves and 2 fish. Using the 5 & 2 as a template for what I can offer is probably a little grandstanding. But the point I got was that though I don’t amount to much by myself- maybe a meal for 2, but in Your hands, I can feed thousands with baskets of leftovers for the next generations. You take my offering and multiply it to be enough. Thank You, Lord.  John 6:1-14

7 Words that describe God- ‘L’

7 Words that describe God- ‘L’:
 
Lamb
Lense
Life
Light
Likeness
Lion
Love
 
Jesus, You are the Lamb who, by Your sacrifice, cleansed me from sin. You, Son of God, washed away my spots though You were spotless. The power of Your undeserved death saved me from my deserved one. You have paid my debt and ransomed me that I may dwell with You. Your blood covers me and dresses me in robes whiter than snow. Thank You, oh Lamb of God! John 1:29
 
You are my Lens, oh Lord, through which I want to see all of this life. I know many before me have described faith as being that lens.  I know a time is coming for all things to be revealed. But for me to walk as if that time is now, and to look around with my eyes focused on You instead of all that would entangle, my path would be straight. It would lead unerringly to You. You, my heart’s desire. 1 Samuel 16:7
 
At times, life here is so fragile. At others, so strong. It can beat the odds for the moment or for years, but much like ‘all have sinned’, all will die. More than a term for understanding our reality, life is time. It is a sentence for criminals who have lost their place among us. It is a guarantee of the durability of various products. But life in our understanding of You is beyond time. It has no end. You are Life. You hold all things together. I seek to honor and glorify You with my time, with my life, that I may one day gain Yours that has no end.  John 3:16
 
Thinking of You as the Light was one of the first words You gave to me to describe You with. I could see darkness. I knew its presence. I heard its breath. I hated it. But You, You chased it away with a glance. Darkness hides like a prowler dressed in night spying from house to house. Your Light washed over each home that called on Your Name. You protected us like a truck with the high beams on. Darkness fled. Its power to hide was gone. It retreated before You. I’ve only wanted to be this close and closer to You, my Lord, my Light.  1 John 1:5
 
You created us in Your likeness. Male and female, You formed us. You gave us authority over all the earth. There have been times when I found our likeness unto You to be terrifying. We have so much authority over this life and we cause so much pain- some of it is purposeful, some of it not. This life is too real, and we are the shapers of it. When we aren’t mindful, terrible things happen. Futures are swallowed up by fading desires, destinies are ended before they can begin. But also in our likeness of You, there is peace and beauty and we can watch wonder be born. Awareness of Your likeness in us is reality, all else is but fantasy.  Genesis 1:26-27
 
Your Word describes You as a lion. Your roar sends Your enemies to flight. Your boldness can not be contained. Your authority when You enter the room is unquestioned. Fear is an appropriate response to Your greatness. Both those who worship You and those who curse You will bow and kneel at the mention of Your name. Your roar encourages Your people and reminds them of Whom they serve. Your mane brings comfort to Your people and invites them to draw near. Your teeth and claws protect Your people and scatter the foe. You, oh Lion of Judah, are truly great and greatly to be praised. Philippians 2:10-11
 
Thank You for Your love. I know receiving it from You is a battle at times. You don’t do things as I do. I fail to uphold the simplest of Your commands. I know my obedience to You communicates my love for You, but my mistakes are many. Your love is limitless. Your response to my fallenness is love’s fullest manifestation. You acted outside of our understanding to bring us something beyond our reckoning. Your love doesn’t make sense here. We say, “If you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours,” but we didn’t scratch Your back. We whipped it. Crucified it. Buried it. In response? You loved us.  Romans 5:8

7 Words that Describe God- ‘K’

7 Words that Describe God- ‘K’:
 
Keeper
Key
Kind
King
Kinsman
Kiss
Knower
 
You are the keeper of life, wisdom and knowledge. Those who seek to add any of those in their life must go to You and enter through Your gates. You give to all who ask. You keep me in the shadow of Your wings, protecting me in safety amidst this dark and fading world. You alone are the Keeper. I give You all my praise, for You also are the Giver.  Psalm 121:5-8
 
You are the Key to the door of my hopes and dreams. You unlock passions and desires greater than my own. This world has a set of keys that always leads to less. The doors it opens pretends to be what we want, but it always makes us less and traps us in sinking sand withholding any thoughts of escape. At this point we have two options: we either fight You and claim this is true ‘freedom’- hopelessness and death await us there, or we repent- take the key that You are, unlock the prison doors and run from all that entangles. Thank You for being the Key to more, oh Lord. Your blessings know no end.  Isaiah 33:6
 
You are thoughtful and kind towards me, my Lord. You are unlike any boss here. Bosses don’t care as long as I get the job done. I don’t get in Your way or prevent You from climbing Your career’s ladder. You place me above such things, oh Lord. You consider me and Your thoughts bless me. Your kindness leads me deeper with You. I want to repent of anything that would separate us. I want to leave any pride, any vanity behind. Whatever I could gain here in this fading world, I consider loss compared to You. Thank You for being kind to me.  Titus 3:4-6
 
You are the King of kings and Lord of lords, my God! There are many names that we can use to give You honor and praise, but this one has so much darkness in it. Kings here have abused, oppressed and subjugated people for centuries. You do not do such things. You don’t dominate us or control us. You don’t wage wars that would take our children from us. You don’t demand a tax that so often was used by the people to protect them from their own king. When I call You my King, I do so to honor Your authority above my own. I seek to serve You with all I am and I wait in expectation, for Your favor is life. 1 Timothy 1:17
 
You have called me Your child. Jesus’ sacrifice and my belief in His grace toward me bring me closer still. Your blood that was shed covers me and You call me Your brother. You know me completely yet You never push me away. You only bring me closer. You could disregard me and cast me out. I am not holy, like You. I am not righteous, like You. I am not blameless, like You. What have You to do with me? Why do You care? I do not advance You or make You look good in any way. I have no value on my own. I’m not worth even a penny, and yet the price You paid says I am a treasure beyond any value. You make me more. You call me kinsman, so You are mine.  2 Corinthians 8:9
 
You are to me like a mother’s kiss goodnight. The fulfillment of prophecy, the downfall of my enemies, the savior of my soul, and many more unseen things, fill me with awe, joy, and thankfulness. But none of that reaches to me now. It is all distant, in the past or in the future. A mother’s kiss goodnight puts me at ease and lets me know beyond the trials of the day- if I was victorious or if I failed, made You proud or brought You shame, that I am loved. And that I can rest now in Your arms. John 13:23
 
You know me, Lord, more than I will ever be able to comprehend this side of the grave. I rest securely beneath Your wings. You give me strength because I know You love me. There are no secrets that can be kept from You. You know the stars by name. You know all that has ever been, all that is, and all that will ever be. You are the Knower of me.  1 Corinthians 2:10-11

7 Words That Describe God- ‘J’

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’

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- ‘H’

7 Words that Describe God- ‘H’:

Haven
Healer
Help
Holy
Home
Hope
How

You are my safety, my refuge, my Haven. You protect me from the storm. I see Your favor upon Your people, and it brings me to worship. I watch Your strong arm deliver those who look to You, who depend on You. Nothing can get in the way. You let nothing block Your love over them. You let us rest in peace, mighty God.  Psalm 46:1-3

I look to You, my Healer. You alone know what is going on. I don’t understand. At times, I think You put me where I finally belong, where I can do the most good for Your glory, then I watch it get taken away. Somedays death’s knell is far too near. Even then, oh Lord, I look to You. Health escapes me and leaves me destitute, but even there, You hold me. Wondering ‘why’, is as frustrating as trying to eat cereal with tremoring hands. I look to You, my Healer, I have never looked anywhere else. Do what Your Word says You do and heal all my diseases. Thank You.  Psalm 103:3

You are my Help in times of celebration and in times of trouble and need. You lift me above the highest of heights and you pull me safely from the pit and snare. I look to You and am not dismayed. You are my Shining Light amidst the dark of night. You wash me from its black embrace. Your promises renew and restore, while the promises of the shadow imprison and impale. It tried to do that to You, Lord Jesus. It tried to hold You in the secrets of the grave, but You were risen above its reach to be seated at God’s right hand. You invite me to join You there, in the sanctuary of Light.  Psalm 46:1

You are the Holy One. Your holiness is untouched by our greed, by our pride- the real reason for many wars and conflicts. We can’t control You or manipulate You and that terrifies us. Yet we look to You for that very reason. We create definitions of devotion that echo our inability, our frustration- Deism. Yet You acted before we were born. Your holiness set everything in motion. You brought forth Your Son who through His death and resurrection enabled us to be holy, to share in Your sacred separateness that we might stand with You when this world ends.  1 Peter 1:13-16

You are my Home, oh Lord. You are my tranquil place. Even when You disturb me, I have peace knowing You, who knows all things, are God. You bring me to a place of trust, for I know You are good and You love me. Your goodness rebukes and corrects, Your love lifts me up beyond to where my actions limit me. You are my Home, my Lord.  2 Corinthians 5:1-10

You are my Hope, oh Lord. You, who do not disappoint. You, who do not fail. You give me hope beyond dreams. I have to wake from a dream, but with You, I wake to Life. Wishes are limited by my imagination, but the hope You give isn’t bound by such things. You are beyond us and Your Holy Spirit is within us. You equip me for greater things that offer eternal life as the reward. I only have eyes for today, but as long as it is called Today, may I praise You. You are my only hope.  Psalm 33:20-22

You are my explanation, my ‘How’, in answer to any doubting question. When Moses and the people of Israel were with their backs to the sea and the Egyptian army was hot on their heels, You were the only reason they triumphed that day. You opened the waters allowing Israel to pass through and you closed it on the heads of the pursuers. When they doubted David as he faced off against Goliath, it’s because of You that his courage stood so strong. He slew the giant and carried off his head for all to see that You will not be mocked. There are many other people who held fast in the face of opposition because of You: Elijah, Daniel, and Jesus. The heroes of the faith listed in Hebrews 11 stretching back to Abel, Enoch, and Noah were also commended for their faith in You. For as it says in 11:6, “because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”  Psalm 46:10