The Oil of Joy

     I've been itching to write again. Clearly, its been a while. As much as this blog reflects my ambitions to relay to everyone my discoveries in healthy living, it is also my avenue to relay my discoveries of a happy and healthy heart. 

     My latest journey has been through the names of God or Yahweh. This study has yielded so much good fruit in my life at just the right time. Each one of the names reflects the character and/or nature of the Lord. 

     I began my study with the simple name "Yahweh". The definition I found most consistent and impressionable was this: Personal, eternal, and non-contingent. Whew! Get a load of that! All three contain a depth that, well, I really haven't even begun to scratch the surface on.

     There are twelve names of God that I have found to be independent from each other while at the same time each one upholds the others. This is quite simply....amazing. God will always be true to himself, no matter what name he gives his people to call him. 

     Although I have found every single one to be insightful and deeply impacting on my own walk with the Lord, I am only going to share what the Lord revealed to me about this particular name...

Jehovah Jirah

(or Jireh depending on your translation, however, it means the same thing)

"The Lord my Provider"

(Genesis 22:14)

     This is a part of the Bible where the Lord offers a parallel from the Old Testament to the New Testament. Here he reveals a deeply personal name. Here he asks Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, the promised child between Abraham and his wife, Sarah. 

     Though Abraham was willing and prepared to do exactly what the Lord requested, it was probably the hardest thing he ever had to do. 

     Scripture doesn't detail what went down between Isaac and his father...maybe he was questioning him the whole trip (my son probably would be), or trusting him, or freaking out. But, scripture does say that Isaac said this, "where is the sacrifice?" And Abraham answered him honestly, and in faith that God would provide the sacrifice. Abraham went so far as to address his servants who had come with him to a point, that he and the boy would be back after they offered a burnt offering to the Lord.

     What I find so amazing is that even though Abraham was opporating out of complete faith, even speaking out his faith, the Lord didn't come through until the very last moment. I'm talking like 11th hour kind of stuff... as in 11 hours, 59 minutes, 59 seconds! Abraham was actually about to lower the knife and follow through! My guess is at the 11th hour Abraham was probably trembling, shaking, and like "Okay God....any time now... I trust you... so...."

     And God did.

     He came through. Poor Abraham must have felt overwhelming relief! Isaac too, probably?! And there, with the ram the Lord provided for the sacrifice, Abraham built an alter to the Lord and said, "My God provides." 

     My guess, from being a parent, is that this name, "Jehovah Jirah", "My God provides" was very personal to Abraham in his heart.

     As much as it's a personal statement that Abraham doubtedly ever forgot, its a very accurate and personal statement of the Lord's provision of Salvation (Yeshua- Jesus) to us. He provided the ram to Abraham as a demonstration of love- of rescue. He provided Jesus to us as a demonstration of rescue- of his intense love for us.

     God gives himself this name of "provider" because he loves us. A provider cares about those he is giving to. As a parent, it is a deep responsibility for provision for my child. As a parent, I go to the longest lengths to provide exactly what is needed and best for that child. 

     Jehovah, God, Yahweh (a non-contingent (on my status), personal, relational God) went to the greatest lengths to provide the very best for his people. 

     Total reconciliation.

     Which is total protection from the enemy. Total provision to supply us with every thing we need to walk out victory. Total blessing because we are MORE than conquerors through God who loves us.

     This God. This God who provides, equips us to walk out total obedience which in turn yields perfect fruit in our lives. The fruit of Righteousness.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,  because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

~James 1:2-4