by MeredithNMills | Aug 1, 2017 | abiding in Christ, grace, Uncategorized, Victorious Living, Walking by Faith
by Meredith Mills
@DazzledByTheSon
Don’t you love a good treasure hunt?
My tween daughter wanted a detective party for her birthday last year, so my husband planned the treasure hunt to end all birthday party treasure hunts. It was incredible.
The clues were crazy hard, but the girls embraced the challenge and finally deciphered them all by working together.
One final clue led to the birthday cake, which Hubby also made. (If I’d been in charge of the cake, we’d have picked one up from Costco.) The treasure, a bag of chocolate coins, was hidden inside the cake. (He’d baked a hollow spot into the cake and hidden the coins inside before frosting it.)
The girls had a blast searching for hidden treasure.
I’ve been on my own treasure hunt for the last few years.
During a particularly dark season of life (Confessions of a Good Girl), I realized many of my beliefs about God were flawed. Though I loved Him deeply, my life was driven by duty and ruled by fear. I desperately needed the rest to which Jesus invites us (Matthew 11:28-30).
Using a journal and my Bible (ok, actually I use my Bible app), I began recording everything God reveals about Himself in the passages I read during my daily Bible time. I’ve been doing this for about three years now, making notes about His actions and reactions, His promises and the names by which He describes Himself.
What I’ve learned has thrilled my soul and deepened my love for Him. Jesus is unlike any treasure earth can offer.
Here’s a verse I read recently:
“The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runs into it and is safe” (Proverbs 18:10).
A person’s names reveal various attributes of that person.
For example, when I say that my name is Meredith, you learn very little about me. But if I tell you that I’m also called Wife and Mom, Daughter and Sister, writer, reader, singer and traveler, coffee-drinker and chocolate-lover…you know a bit more about me.
So it is with our God.
Many people call their objects of worship god. What sets our God apart? His names help us answer that question.
He is the Most High, the Creator, the Lover of our soul, the Good Shepherd, the Father of the fatherless and Husband to the widow…
His various names minister to us in different ways as we walk through life. By faith, we can cling to God’s specific names and find security.
This looks different from one day to the next and from one season to another. Here are some examples of what it looks like in my life:
- My husband is self-employed. Traditionally, summer is the slowest time of the year for us. One summer, work was scarce and money was tight. But bills were still due, so I ran to our Provider with a very specific request. The next day, He came through, miraculously meeting our needs.
- Several years ago, I experienced a miscarriage. As I walked through that painful time, I relied on God to be my Healer. He brought both physical and emotional restoration.
- Today, as I write, I’m asking my all-wise Creator for wisdom and creativity.
- In a few days, we’ll begin another year of homeschooling. I’ll seek the Teacher to instruct me on how best to teach my kids.
Whatever you’re facing today, whatever you’ll face tomorrow and next year, God’s name is a strong tower, a hiding place of refuge and protection from the storms that assail. 
Which name of God is your strong tower today? Please comment below – I’d love to hear! Let’s get to know Him better together!
Related Posts:
Shields are Not Just for Superheroes
When I Forget…God is Faithful
When Life Blindsides You
by MeredithNMills | Mar 4, 2016 | Uncategorized
Could you use some encouragement today?
I know I could. Sometimes my heart grows anxious. It’s easy to give way to fear, to let the “what if’s” take over. To look at our nation, our world, and feel as if things are spiraling out of control.
Yet, in the midst of turbulent times and an uncertain future, the words of the old hymn ring true in my heart – “When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay. On Christ the Solid Rock I stand…” *
This Rock that is Jesus – He is secure and unchanging, a foundation that will never crumble. His love is everlasting. His truth still brings freedom. His justice is as sure as the rising sun. His faithfulness will never, ever cease. Come what may, God is good. God is with us. And God will complete His work in us.
This week I’ve been studying in Colossians. My heart thrills at the work of God on our behalf. Here are some highlights from chapter two:
- God has revealed to us the mystery of Christ (v 2). Walking with God has always been by faith – from the opening chapters of Genesis (the promise of One who would crush the serpent), to the final words of Revelation (“come quickly, Lord Jesus!”). Yet the Object of our faith was a mystery until God made Him known. Oh, the riches of assurance and knowledge of Him!
- God has firmly rooted us in Christ (v 7). It’s done, once and for all – by God, for us. Because we are rooted in Him, we can face the future with confidence. Nothing can uproot us from Christ!
- God is building us up and establishing us in our faith (v 7). God is continuously, repeatedly working to strengthen us.
- God has made us complete (v 10). As the fullness of God dwells in the Person of Christ, so we are completely filled with Christ. We lack nothing when we have Jesus.
- God has circumcised our hearts (v 11). In Old Testament times, God commanded Israel to circumcise their hearts (Jer 4:4), but they were incapable of doing it themselves. However, He promised that one day, He Himself would complete this work. (“Then the Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love Him…” Deut 30:6.) And now He has done it! (“Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ” (Col 2:11b). What we are powerless to do on our own, God has done for us. The power of our old life is broken!
- God has cancelled our certificate of condemnation, nailing it to the cross (v 14). All those sins that separated us from God, which served as evidence of our guilt – they are all gone! Not a single sin stands to condemn us. We are fully forgiven in Christ.
- God brings about our spiritual growth (v 19). Fruit-bearing is God’s work (thus the term “fruit of the Spirit”). For most of my life, I believed I had to try hard to produce fruit as a Christian. In reality, I’m just the branch displaying the fruit made by the Vine as I abide in Him (Jn 15:1-11)!
My dear fellow Jesus-lover – be encouraged! Rest in hope. Speak truth to your soul.
Nothing can sever us from the God who works on our behalf – no politician, no tragedy, no loss, no disappointment. If He has done all this for us (and ever so much more), will He not continue to show Himself strong on our behalf? We He not daily support, strengthen, sustain, and supply?
May we overflow with gratitude, walk closely with Him, and keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.
“For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His…” 2 Chron 16:9a.
“I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them…I will rejoice in doing them good…” Jer 32:40-41.
What kind of soul-talk brings peace to your heart? Is there a particular attribute of God that especially gives you hope?
Related Posts:
Fly Like an Eagle
When Fear Invades
*The Solid Rock, by Edward Mote
