Dr H Reflections

Mother-love and chiseled hands ∙

Mother-love and chiseled hands ∙

As a mother consoles a child, so I will comfort you. – Isaiah 66:13

Isaiah 49:14-16

14 Yet Jerusalem says, “The LORD has deserted us; the Lord has forgotten us.”

15 “Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you!

16 See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands. Always in my mind is a picture of Jerusalem’s walls in ruins.,

There are all types of human love. It is said that a mother’s love is foremost of all. What makes it so special? A mother’s love is unconditional and permanent. The child does not have to win its mother’s love. Mother-love is unconditional love. It is independent of the child’s personality, characteristics, or circumstances. A mother’s love is not earned or deserved, rather it is freely given because of who the child is, not what it does.

The Father God has wired mothers so that, the love-bond between mother and child arises instantly. It is a bond that unites two bodies and souls. It often begins at the moment the mother knows she is pregnant. But it climaxes at the moment the child is born. Mothers have a strong built-in instinct to nurture and protect

An abundant, healthy, wholesome relationship, resting firmly upon unconditional love, affection, and respect, makes for secure, well-balanced, happy children.

The Scriptures use many metaphors to portray the relationship between God and those that believe in Him: shepherd and sheep, vine and branches, head and body, bride and bridegroom, husband and wife. But the most frequent and important is Father and child. The Scriptures certainly emphasize the Fatherhood of God.

What is less well known is that He is also pictured as a compassionate Mother. In the same way that a mother loves, comforts, and cares for her children, the eternal God watches over and is mindful of each child in the forever family (Isaiah 66:13).

Is it possible for a mother to neglect or mistreat her child? Regrettably yes, sometimes the unthinkable can and does happen. But it is an aberration, not the norm. But our King would never do this! The Father assures His people of His love by comparing Himself to a compassionate mother. Israel is depicted as a nursing child, totally dependent upon its mother. As a loving mother would never forget nor forsake her child, neither will the Lord. The Father lavishes mother-love on each child of the King.

Isaiah 49:15 Can a woman forget her baby who nurses at her breast? Can she withhold compassion from the child she has borne? Even if mothers were to forget, I could never forget you!

Jeremiah 31:20 “Is not Israel still my son, my darling child?” says the LORD. “I often have spoken against him, but I still love him. That’s why I long for him and surely will have mercy on him.”

REFLECT & PRAY

“God loves you more than any mother has ever loved her own son or daughter. Everything He does in your life; He does out of love and for love’s sake. He allows even the hard times for your benefit” (Stanley).

Father thank You for being caring and loving me with mother-love, you are gentle and compassionate as You nestle me in Your loving arms. Thank You for loving me so much that You have placed my name on the palm of Your hand.

INSIGHT

But there’s more.

Isaiah 49:16 behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.

It was a common practice during the Old Testament, for servants to have the names of their masters engraved on their hands. The mark signified ownership and permanence. Much like the branding of cattle in our day. Generally, the owner’s name was engraved on the right hand (IVP, BBC). While servants would have their master’s names on their hands, a master did not write his servant’s name on his hands.

But the Father God turns everything around. He has engraved each of His children’s names on His hands. The word translated as engraved or inscribed is the word chaqaq in Hebrew. It means to carve, engrave, cut in, chisel, or hallow out. “This is not a tattoo on the back of his hand, and it is not something written with weak ink that can fade or be erased; this is permanently carved into his metaphorical flesh” (Gary Smith).

It is like what we do in our culture when we tie a string around our finger to remind us of something. By putting our names on the palms of His hands, the Father has a constant reminder of each of His children.

But there’s even more. The verse begins with the word “behold” or “see.” What does this suggest? The Father is beckoning the children of the King, His children to look at the outstretched palms of His hands. To each one of us, He says, “Look my child, here is your name, which I carved into My hands out of love for you. I will never forget you!”

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Boasting in the Father not ourselves

Boasting in the Father not ourselves

If you want to boast, boast only about the LORD. – 1 Corinthians 1:31

Jeremiah 9:23-24

23 This is what the LORD says: Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom, or the powerful boast in their power, or the rich boast in their riches.

24 But those who wish to boast should boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the LORD who demonstrates unfailing love and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth, and that I delight in these things. I, the LORD, have spoken!

Martin Luther died on February 18, 1546. In one of his pockets, he had placed a slip of paper reminding him, “We are beggars, that’s the truth.”

The self-help section of any bookstore is filled with hundreds of books offering guidance that will supposedly lead to a happy, successful, and meaningful life.

Throughout the millennia, people have sought to better themselves and improve their lot in life. Sadly, many self-help efforts have proved to be less than stellar. The urge for self-improvement actually began in the Garden of Eden. Being the Father’s highest created beings on planet Earth was not enough. They wanted more. They wanted to be like God (Genesis 3:5). But the results were horrendous and introduced sin into the human race.

Is there a more excellent way to help ourselves?

The wisdom and understanding needed are found in the greatest “self-help” book ever written: the Word of God. The Bible invites us to enter into a relationship with the Father God. He is the Supreme Being. He is the source of true wisdom. He is the Lord of lords the King of kings. He lovingly created all that is and set people at the pinnacle of His earthly creation. People alone are able to commune to Him.

Sadly it is part of our fallen DNA to become proud, arrogant, and boastful regarding our abilities and achievements. But in so doing, even children of the King forget that our talents and skills are all gifts from the Father of lights.

James 1:17 Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens.

The prophet Jeremiah laments the unrepentant hearts and lack of humility of the people of Judah. They cannot see the forest through the trees.

Jeremiah 9:23-24

23 Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom, or the powerful boast in their power, or the rich boast in their riches.

REFLECT & PRAY

Our Father in heaven is the true designer and giver of all that we are! Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father (James 1:17).

Father may I honor You as the source of all the good and precious gifts You have provided. To You alone belong honor and glory. Teach me to boast only in You.

INSIGHT

The human race is the quintessence of the Father’s creation on earth. Yet we are lower in status and authority than angels.

Psalms 8:4-5

4 What are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?

5 Yet you made them only a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor.

Recognizing this has a tragic downside. Simply speaking we get carried away. Rather than recognizing and honoring the Father as the source of all, we focus on ourselves.

“Intelligence, power, and riches all give human beings the illusion of being in control – but the illusion always comes to an end. When we put our confidence in God alone, however, we find something worth our boasting” (Stanley).

Why was Judah so spiritually misguided in their devotion and boasting? Their values and priorities were terribly askew. Rather than embracing true wisdom, they preferred the earthly, unspiritual, and demonic wisdom of the world (James 3:15).

“True religion consists in a personal and existential knowledge of God, and in a commitment to those qualities displayed by Yahweh himself – unfailing loyalty, justice, and right dealing” (Thompson).

Our priorities reveal by our values.

Soli Deo Gloria: To God Alone Be the Glory (J.S. Bach).

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Unction

Unction

But ye have an unction from the Holy One. Ye are anointed with the Holy Spirit. – 1 John 2:20 (KJV)

Acts 16:12-15

12 From there we reached Philippi, a major city of that district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. And we stayed there several days.

13 On the Sabbath we went a little way outside the city to a riverbank, where we thought people would be meeting for prayer, and we sat down to speak with some women who had gathered there.

14 One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth, who worshiped God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying.

15 She was baptized along with other members of her household, and she asked us to be her guests. “If you agree that I am a true believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my home.” And she urged us until we agreed.

What is electricity and how does it work?

Electricity is made up of atoms. These atoms are a secondary energy source generated from the conversion of “primary sources” of energy such as coal, natural gas, oil, nuclear power, solar power, and so on.

Electricity travels in closed circuits. It has to have a complete path before electrons can move through it. When you turn on a light by flipping a switch, you close a circuit. Of course, this means that by flipping a switch off, you open a circuit. Electricity flows from the electric wire, through a light bulb, and back into the wire. The same concept applies to your television or your appliances – when you turn them on, you close a circuit for electricity to flow through the wires and power them (https://justenergy.com/).

You can have a fantastic light bulb. It is capable of producing light and warmth, but without electricity, it remains dark and cold.

The unction of the Holy Spirit is like electricity. People without unction are just like light bulbs without electricity. The unction or anointing of the Holy Spirit is the power that enables children of the King to serve Him and bring light and warmth to a dark, fallen world.

Biblical understanding and communication begin with the factual knowledge of the objective Word of God. But spiritual understanding is also essential. How do we acquire knowledge and understanding? We need the Holy Spirit to receive, comprehend, appropriate, and communicate divine truth (Grant Richison).

The story of Lydia illustrates how the Holy Spirit works. The Father opened her heart to understand and accept what she heard. It is the miraculous work of the Holy Spirit that ultimately draws people to the Lord Jesus Christ.

REFLECT & PRAY

The enemy of our souls does not want the glorious light of salvation to shine into people’s hearts. As the god of this age and the prince of this world, Satan is at work to keep us in the dark (Wiersbe).

Father thank You for providing the unction of the Holy Spirit. Thank You that my heart was opened to understand and accept the Truth of the Word of God.

INSIGHT

During the Old Testament period, anointing involved both recognition and empowerment. Kings and priests were physically anointed with oil. Being anointed with oil was analogous to an inauguration ceremony. Anointing empowered many individuals to carry out the Father’s tasks. The Old Testament prophets were anointed as needed by the Holy Spirit to receive the Father’s revelation and pass it on as prophesy.

Ezekiel 11:5 the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me, and he said to me . . ..

Old Testament prophets needed power from the Holy Spirit to speak and communicate the Father’s message. They were like lamps capable of illuminating and bringing light and warmth. but required energy to function. The power came from their unction.

The Greek term translated as unction or anointing is chrisma. Charisma comes from chrio, to anoint. Chrio literally meant to spread or pour oil or ointment. Chrisma was also used for commissioning and empowerment.

During the Old Testament period, special anointing oil was prepared. It was referred to as chrisma hagion – holy oil. In the New Testament, chrisma was also used for the empowering work of the Holy Spirit.

The Greek word chrisma is used only three times in the New Testament 1 John 2:20, 1 John 2:27, and 2 Corinthians 1:21. The unction of the children of the King is not physical “oil of anointing” (Exodus 9:7). Rather, they were anointed with something vastly superior, the Holy Spirit – pneuma hagion.

The apostle John writes to the children of the King to remind them of who they are and what they already have. “The object of the apostle in writing was not to communicate fresh knowledge, but to bring into active and decisive use the knowledge which his readers already possessed” (Wescott).

Through the unction of the Holy Spirit, children of the King are given spiritual insight and the ability to communicate it powerfully. Prophets not only communicate, but they also stimulate reflection which often leads to a perspective transformation by the recipients.

1 John 2:20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One. Ye are anointed with the Holy Spirit.

Lydia was a woman of faith. She was a God-fearing Gentile. Lydia desired to be around the children of the King and hear God’s word. What motivated her behavior? The Holy Spirit was working within her. She felt the tug of the Holy Spirit in her heart. The Holy Spirit opened her heart.

Acts 16:14 One of them was Lydia . . . who worshiped God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying.

The opening of Lydia’s heart occurred in conjunction with the unction of the Holy Spirit empowering Paul’s words.

1 John 2:27 As for you, the anointing which you received from Him lives in you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true – it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ.

Feeling the tug of the Lord is common among children of the King. When we hear His voice, our response should be, Father, what would You have me do?

Pause for a moment and allow these words to sink in.

The ancient Greeks deduced that verbal proclamation would have the greatest force or influence if it had three essential characteristics – logos, ethos, and pathos. These three formed one inseparable whole. Logos referred to the intellectual and rational content of what was spoken. Did it make rational sense? Was it true? Did it correspond to reality? Ethos had to do with the ethical element of the spoken word. Did the speaker affirm that which was morally good or right, and thereby beautiful. The union of logos and ethos resulted in pathos. Pathos was the passion with which the speaker spoke (https://www.placefortruth.org/blog/the-unction-of-the-holy-spirit).

What people hear, absorb, and react to is unique for each person. The Holy Spirit is responsible for all of these things. The unction of the Holy Spirit opens the heart and mind that the father’s message may be heard and accepted.

Is the Holy Spirit tugging at your heart?

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The Father is God, we are not

The Father is God, we are not

Stop and consider God’s wonders. – Job 37:14

Job 37:14-24

14 Listen to this, O Job, Stand and consider the wonders of God.

15 Do you know how God controls the storm and causes the lightning to flash from his clouds?

16 Do you understand how he moves the clouds with wonderful perfection and skill?

17 When you are sweltering in your clothes and the south wind dies down and everything is still,

18 he makes the skies reflect the heat like a bronze mirror. Can you do that?

19 So teach the rest of us what to say to God. We are too ignorant to make our own arguments.

20 Should God be notified that I want to speak? Can people even speak when they are confused?

21 We cannot look at the sun, for it shines brightly in the sky when the wind clears away the clouds.

22 So also, golden splendor comes from the mountain of God. He is clothed in dazzling splendor.

23 We cannot imagine the power of the Almighty; but even though he is just and righteous, he does not destroy us.

24 No wonder people everywhere fear him. All who are wise show him reverence.

Goosebumps go by different names including goose pimples, goose flesh, goose bumples, horripilation, and piloerection. The medical term is cutis anserine (cutis means skin and anser means goose). Goosebumps are a skin response, a temporary change in its texture from smooth to bumpy. They are the result of the contraction of the piloerector muscles, triggered autonomously by the sympathetic nervous system.

Goosebumps erupt often when we are extremely cold. Goosebumps occur in unpleasant situations such as fear, or perhaps more accurately, horror. Goosebumps often arise during awesome experiences. When things occur that give us “chills.” When we are spiritually or emotionally moved. Their eruption is often concurrent with awe, pride, exhilaration, listening to music, and excitement of experiencing God.

Fallen humanity is incapable of comprehending the marvels of the creation and the creator God, the Father who made them all.

“It is good to remind ourselves that the Lord is God and we are not. He is the Creator; we are the created. He is the Original; we are the image. He is our Friend, but absolutely not our peer” (Stanley).

Job 37:14-16

14 Pay attention to this, Job. Stop and consider the wonderful miracles of God!

15 Do you know how God controls the storm and causes the lightning to flash from his clouds?

16 Do you understand how he moves the clouds with wonderful perfection and skill?

The Father’s creation appears without end. In the book of Job, Elihu one of his friends points this out to him. He reminds Job that the Father alone is God, and Job is not. The Father is unlimited and all-powerful. The Father has perfect knowledge. Elihu is totally awed by the Father, the living God. He fixates on the Father’s majesty and perfection in all that He thinks and does. Elihu reminds Job that we as humans, can’t begin to understand the complexity of the Father and His creation.

Job 37:22 God is clothed with awesome majesty.

Elihu challenges Job to consider the Father’s awesome majesty as Job struggles with his losses. He warns Job against giving into arrogant conceit.

Job 37:24 All who are wise show him reverence. He does not regard any who are wise in their own conceit.

Ultimately there are only two responses to the majestic glory of the eternal, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent God. Either people are wise and respect the Father, or they are conceded, wise in their own eyes, and turn away from the Father.

No matter what we’re going through, the Father is God. He is always at work even though we cannot see it or understand what He does.

Job 5:9 He does great things too marvelous to understand. He performs countless miracles.

Contemplating the Father and all that He is, and all that He has done and all that He is doing should give the children of the King chills. He is totally awesome!

REFLECT & PRAY

The Father is always at work. As we observe and recognize His handiwork and creativity, we are awed and moved to worship Him. His awesome intelligence and splendor give us chills.

Father thank You magnificent creation. Thank You that even when we cannot see You, You are at work in our lives. Empower me to see You with the eyes of faith.

INSIGHT

Our God is an awesome God. He reigns from heaven above

With wisdom pow’r and love. Our God is an awesome God

Deuteronomy 10:17 For the LORD your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords. He is the great God, the mighty and awesome God

The Hebrew word translated as awesome is yare. Yare means to inspire awe, reverence, or fear.

Job and his friends Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar enter into three rounds of heated discussion, they finally reach an impasse regarding theodicy, the question of why a good God permits evil. Elihu, being the youngest, waited for his turn to speak and now chimes in with his insights (Job 32-37).

Elihu spotlights the Father’s power, majesty, and sovereignty. He challenges Job to “consider the wonderful miracles” (Job 37:14). The Father governs His creation. Job is challenged to explain the inexplicable, the Father’s control of the clouds, lightning, winds, skies, and sun (Job 37:15-24). Such majesty and perfection compel the children of the King to revere the Father.

Job 37:14 Pay attention to this, Job. Stop and consider the wonderful miracles of God!

Hebrews 11:1-3

3 Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

2 Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation.

3 By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.

Hebrews 11:6 It is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

The Father is God and we are not!

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What more shall I say? ∙

What more shall I say? ∙

The two spies returned to Joshua and told him what they had learned, “The LORD has given us the whole land, for all the people in the land are terrified of us.” – Joshua 2:24

Hebrews 11:31 It was by faith that Rahab the harlot was not destroyed with the people in her city who refused to obey God. For she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.

Do you always believe what you hear or read on the Internet?

In 2012-2013, State Farm ran a TV Commercial which has come to be called, “The Internet and French Model.” A man named Mike is reporting an accident using his new State Farm mobile app. His neighbor walks by and she says, “I thought State Farm didn’t have all those apps.” Mike asked, “where did you hear that?” She responds, “the Internet.” Mike somewhat amazed queries, “and you believed it?” She responds, “yeah, they can’t put anything on the Internet that is not true.” Mike asks, “where did you hear that?” And they both respond simultaneously, “the Internet!”

The commercial ends with his neighbor introducing her date that she met on the Internet. She tells Mike that he’s a “French model.” He awkwardly mouths the words, “Ah, Bonjour.” Of course, the audience left aghast at the utter naïveté of the lady who believes everything she reads on the Internet.

Perhaps the best choice is to adhere to the sagacious advice of former president Ronald Reagan, “Trust but Verify.”

Long before the Internet and even without streaming 24×7 news services, word of major world events still got around. While the nation of Israel was wandering in the wilderness, news out of Egypt was spreading throughout the region. Stories were told and retold about how the God of Israel had brought the land of Egypt to its knees. Most of the army of Egypt had been destroyed. The God of Israel freed the Jewish people from their slavery and bondage by His mighty hand.

At that time, Egypt had the most powerful army on the face of the planet. No one had ever stood before Egypt’s armies and defeated them. They had mastered the use of what was then the new unmatched weapon of the day, the chariot. No doubt merchants and travelers had been telling and retelling the stories for decades. Undoubtedly, wealthy powerful cities such as Jericho had fortified their defenses to prepare for a possible invasion. But who could resist the power of the living God?

People were living in fear of the day that the armies of Israel would appear to take possession of “The Promised Land” that their God had sworn to give them. 40 years had come and gone, and the people of Jericho were still fearful of what the Lord might one day do.

Joshua 2:8-11

8 Before the spies went to sleep that night, Rahab went up on the roof to talk with them.

9 “I know the LORD has given you this land,” she told them. “We are all afraid of you. Everyone in the land is living in terror.

10 For we have heard how the LORD made a dry path for you through the Red Sea when you left Egypt. . .

11 No wonder our hearts have melted in fear! No one has the courage to fight after hearing such things. For the LORD your God is the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below.

Rahab was no princess. As a matter of fact, she is better known to biblical history as Rahab the harlot. But when she heard the truth regarding the Lord God of Israel, she believed in Him. Rahab dared to stand alone because she knew it was right. Rahab knew the risks of helping the spies, concealing them, deceiving their would-be captors, and helping them to escape. She provided the first “Hiding Place” much like the Dutch family of Corrie ten Boom during World War II.

Stellar reputations or the lack thereof never prevent people from going from unbelief to faith, from gross immorality to risking it all for the sake of what is right.

Joshua ordered two spies to go to Jericho to get the lay of the land. He directed them to secretly go to Rahab’s house. But they must have been seen. Somehow, word got out that they had come to her house. The king of Jericho sent out his stormtroopers to capture the Jewish spies. Rahab risked her life. She hid them and lied to protect them. They were able to escape alive from their pursuers. However, Rahab requested something in return for her hospitality, kindness, and protection. When the city was conquered, she wanted to be spared along with her family. The two spies agreed (Joshua 2:12-23). And it was so (Joshua 6:17).

Hebrews 11:31 It was by faith that Rahab the prostitute was not destroyed with the people in her city who refused to obey God. For she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.

The two spies returned to Joshua and told him what they had learned, “The LORD has given us the whole land, for all the people in the land are terrified of us” (Joshua 2:24).

REFLECT & PRAY

The Father values faith and obedience even in the small details.

Father I long to be faithful and obedient, even when it involves risk and loss. Encourage me to be bold, daring, and faithful.

INSIGHT

But there’s more, the Father is always full of surprises.

After Rahab cleaned up her act and left her salacious life behind her, she became a part of the nation of Israel. She got married to a man named Salmon. They had a son named Boaz. Boaz was kind and generous and became a wealthy man. One day he found a young Moabitess, a widow, working in his fields. For Boaz, it was love at first sight. It turned out that her dead husband was a near kinsman. And Boaz had the right to become her kinsman-redeemer. He had to pull a few strings but eventually, he married her.

Her name was Ruth. Ruth and Boaz had a son. Their son’s name was Obed. None of this would’ve been very important except for the fact that Obed also had a son and his name was Jesse.

Now the name Jesse may sound very familiar. For you see Jesse was the father of David. And the great, great, great, . . . great-grandson of David is the Lord Jesus Christ.

A small deed done in faith for the right reasons at the right time for the right people had consequences beyond anybody’s wildest imagination. At the time, only the Father knew in advance that Rahab would be the distant ancestor of the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:5-6,16).

Putting it another way. Rahab went against the tradition, custom, religion, and laws of Jericho. She stood alone and did what was right. If Rahab had refused to do what is right, would she have ever married and become part of the lineage of the Lord Jesus Christ?

Now is always the right time to do the right thing for the right reasons.

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