Jesus is My…

First, let me start by saying it’s been two years and nine months since I last published my thoughts here on my website.

Life moved fast for me March 2021 and onward. A lot of life happened – training for and completing my third half marathon, navigating the pandemic, running my second relay race, experiencing two career promotions, learning how to live more embodied. And there’s been a lot of deep loss and difficulty too.

I did write though during those years. I just didn’t put those words here. But I have them and when the time is good, I’ll share them. And while I was writing I was also creating in other ways, like this painting I did back in August 2023.

Another thing happened too, this year.

Y’all, I got locked out of my own blog! That will definitely halt the process of publishing for anybody. I finally got back in earlier this month. It feels good to be here and share the things I’ve been writing and reflecting on.

Like these words below.

I meditated on God’s Word this morning and spent time with a familiar passage, Isaiah 9:6.

Context means a lot to me so I like to see the broader narrative that verses come from in the Bible.

My meditation starts in verse 1 and goes to verse 7.

I picked The Message translation for the ease of reading.

But there’ll be no darkness for those who were in trouble. Earlier he did bring the lands of Zebulun and Naphtali into disrepute, but the time is coming when he’ll make that whole area glorious—the road along the Sea, the country past the Jordan, international Galilee.

2-7 The people who walked in darkness

    have seen a great light.

For those who lived in a land of deep shadows—

    light! sunbursts of light!

You repopulated the nation,

    you expanded its joy.

Oh, they’re so glad in your presence!

    Festival joy!

The joy of a great celebration,

    sharing rich gifts and warm greetings.

The abuse of oppressors and cruelty of tyrants—

    all their whips and clubs and curses—

Is gone, done away with, a deliverance

    as surprising and sudden as Gideon’s old victory over Midian.

The boots of all those invading troops,

    along with their shirts soaked with innocent blood,

Will be piled in a heap and burned,

    a fire that will burn for days!

For a child has been born—for us!

    the gift of a son—for us!

He’ll take over

    the running of the world.

His names will be: Amazing Counselor,

    Strong God,

Eternal Father,

    Prince of Wholeness.

His ruling authority will grow,

    and there’ll be no limits to the wholeness he brings.

He’ll rule from the historic David throne

    over that promised kingdom.

He’ll put that kingdom on a firm footing

    and keep it going

With fair dealing and right living,

    beginning now and lasting always.

The zeal of God-of-the-Angel-Armies

    will do all this.

So much goodness here.

What stands out to me this morning are these things:

Jesus was born for us.

He was predestined to come to the earth and rescue us.

Jesus is a gift to me and for me.

He will take over the running of the world.

We need the Lord. 

He is an Amazing Counselor (Extraordinary Strategist is what the NET says).

He is my Strong God (Mighty God is what the KJV says).

He is the Eternal Father (Everlasting Father is what the KJV says).

He is the Prince of Wholeness (Peace is what the KJV says).

His rule and authority will grow.

There will be no limits to the wholeness he brings.

He will rule over a promised kingdom.

A kingdom he will place on a firm footing. 

A kingdom he will keep going (His kingdom is his own, not mine. I get the honor and invitation of being a family member and heir of his kingdom, I have a spiritual inheritance in the Lord that Ephesians 1 tells me is mine).

Jesus will rule with fairness and right living, beginning now and lasting always.

The zeal of God-of-the-Angel-Armies (the Lord of Hosts is what the KJV says) will execute this reign.

There are a set of words I often hear when listening to Dr. Christina Edmondson pray at the close of different readings of the Bible from Truth’s Table’s Get In The Word audio Bible:

“God’s promises are always ‘Yes’ and ‘Amen.'”

Yes.

Amen.

He is saying these two declarations to me each day and inviting me to lean in closer, to listen and to hear.

Reading and sitting with God’s Word, I see it first for the people it was written for thousands of years ago, and then I ask the Lord for eyes to see and ears to hear what is he saying to me today with those same words. This is what I see and hear:

Jesus was promised to me and generations to come through foreshadowing. Just as he was promised to God’s people that Isaiah wrote directly to thousands of years ago. 

Jesus is a gift to me. So much is hidden in and wrapped up in the gift of his birth – salvation, redemption, restoration, rescue from sin and brokenness, kingdom living, healing, and much, much more.

Jesus is my…

Amazing Counselor, Extraordinary Strategist. What do I need to bring before him and receive his counseling, strategy for?

He is my Strong God, Mighty God. Where do I need to experience his strength in my life?

He is my Eternal Father, Everlasting in his parenting of me. Where do I need to feel him as father, parent, guide in my life?

He is the Prince of Wholeness. His peace makes me whole. Where do I need to be made whole in Jesus?

Selah. I’m thinking about this.

The gems of the Word of God are so rich and ready to be mined and sourced out.

God’s invitation to seek him and there you will find him when you seek him with all your heart are so true.

My heart says yes to the process.

Yes and Amen.