Posted on by Renee Meyer

A Blank Check {Living on the Rock}

This week in my Living on the Rock Bible study, we discussed the primary name of God: YAHWEH: I am that I am, the name by which God introduced Himself to Moses and Israel.

These simple words, I AM, express therefore eternity and unchangeableness of existence, which is the very first element necessary in a God who is to be depended upon. No dependence could be placed by any one of us upon a changeable God. He must be the same yesterday, today, and forever, if we are to have any peace or comfort.

But is this all His name implies, simply “I am”? I am what?–we ask. What does this “I am” include?

I believe it includes everything the human heart longs for and needs. This unfinished name of God seems to me like a blank check signed by a rich friend given to us to be filled in with whatever sum we may desire. The whole Bible tells us what it means.

Every attribute of God, every revelation of His character, every proof of His undying love, every declaration of His watchful care, every assertion of His purposes of tender mercy, every manifestation of His loving kindness–all are the filling out of this unfinished “I am.” God tells us through all the pages of His Book what He is. “I am,” He says, “all that my people need”: “I am their strength”; “I am their wisdom”; “I am their righteousness”; “I am their peace”; “I am their salvation”; “I am their life”; “I am their all in all.” – Hannah Whitall Smith, God of All Comfort

I love the idea that Yahweh’s meaning, “I AM” is like a blank check that I can fill in with whatever I need .

Not to say Yahweh will give me material things – He’s not that kind of blank check. But what we all need is not material things.

But He is the answer to every real need that I have. I wonder how often we pray for things—wisdom, peace, strength—and think there is no answer. Read more

Posted on by Renee Meyer

This week in Living on the Rock, we are discussing the primary name of God: YAHWEH. I am that I am, the name by which God introduced Himself to Moses and Israel.

In Exodus 3, God shows up in a burning bush and introduces Himself to Moses as Yahweh, I AM THAT I AM. In this introduction Yahweh says (3 x in Exodus 3) “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob.” He places Himself squarely in Israel’s history.

This is the God who made Israel a tribe and a people. And He is now intervening directly in their history.

In this first introduction of Yahweh to His people through Moses (Exodus 3), we learn several things about Yahweh:

  • He sees, gives heed to, is aware of their affliction.
  • He responds to their affliction by coming down to deliver them.
  • He hears their cries.
  • He promises to be WITH them (Moses in this part of the story, but the promise is extended to all of the people later.)
  • He has come DOWN to bring His people UP from affliction and slavery.

All of this would have been called to the Jewish mind in the name YAHWEH, as well as what follows this story:

  • Yahweh delivers Israel from Egypt, through the Red Sea on dry land, and leads them over 40 years in the wilderness, until delivering them into the promised land.

In the Jewish mind, the name Yahweh would have brought with it deliverance, presence, a God who intervenes on behalf of His people.

A God who comes DOWN to bring them UP out of slavery. Read more

Posted on by Renee Meyer

Secure in His Care {Living on the Rock}

This week in my Living on the Rock Bible Study, we took a long, lovely look at Psalm 23.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.
He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows.

Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

 

No sheep always lives in green pastures, that would have been ridiculous to the first readers. Shepherds were always moving their flocks around – things would get sparse (because the sheep would EAT all the grass), so the flock would move on. We can’t take these as specific promises (I will never need anything; I will always live in lush pastures by quiet waters).

So rather than taking these as specific promises, I think we step back and ask what we learn about God’s character from this Shepherd picture. What’s the big picture promise about who our God is? Read more

Posted on by Renee Meyer

I shall not want {Living on the Rock}

This week in my Living on the Rock Bible Study, we took a long, lovely look at Psalm 23.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.
He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows.

Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Most commentaries view this Psalm as one David wrote at the end of his life, looking back and reflecting. As he looks back over this life, this is his story: God’s provision, protection, and presence. Despite having seasons of lack, David’s testimony is that God did not leave him in those places.

Some of you might be in seasons of want right now (or just especially empathetic to the suffering of the world, so you feel the want of others) – and so “God is my Shepherd, I shall not want” might really bother you. In a season of want, it is hard to hear an older person look back over their lives and say, “God always provided” – because we want to know WHEN? And WHAT ABOUT ME? Read more

Posted on by Renee Meyer

Who are you going to believe? {Living on the Rock}

This week in Living on the Rock, we are discussing our heavenly Father’s love. Along with verses and verses of Scripture, we asked ourselves:

How has your relationship with your earthly father affected how you see God as your Father?

The Father’s love for us is a key truth that shapes our God view. Maybe this is universal for men and women – I don’t know, I’ve only ever been a women. But as women I think our God view can be unduly influenced by the men in our lives – our fathers, but also other men. 

So my question for us this week is this:  

Who are you going to believe?

Read more

Posted on by Renee Meyer

God of All Comfort {Living on the Rock}

This week in my Living on the Rock Bible study, we are talking about the Holy Spirit, and God’s promise that He is “the God of all comfort.”

Let’s start with the dictionary definition of COMFORT:

verb (used with object)

  1. to soothe, console, or reassure; bring cheer to: They tried to comfort her after her loss.
  2. to make physically comfortable.
  3. to aid; support or encourage.

noun

  1. relief in affliction; consolation; solace: Her presence was a comfort to him.
  2. a feeling of relief or consolation: Her forgiveness afforded him great comfort.
  3. a person or thing that gives consolation: She was a great comfort to him.
  4. a cause or matter of relief or satisfaction: The patient’s recovery was a comfort to the doctor.
  5. A state of ease and satisfaction of bodily wants, with freedom from pain and anxiety: He is a man who enjoys his comfort.
  6. something that promotes such a state: His wealth allows him to enjoy a high degree of comfort.

This is important for us to think through if we’re going to claim this promise that our God is a “God of all comfort”, as 2 Corinthians 1 teaches.

2 Corinthians 1 3-4 for blog

Because if you look at the whole testimony of Scripture and God’s promises to us – He does promise (over and over) to “soothe, console, or reassure; bring cheer to” us. But I don’t see any promise to “make physically comfortable.” We’re actually promised, “In this world you will have trouble…” (but take heart! I have overcome the world!)

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Posted on by Renee Meyer

When you are just hoping to escape notice {Devotional}

In Bible study this week, we talked about how important it is that we live in the belief that Jesus is the answer to the question “Who is God”, Jesus is the exact representation of God’s nature. I wrote the following meditation for us to do together as a conclusion to that discussion.

Think of times when you’ve struggled – either with sin, or discouragement, or even disbelief. Maybe you’re in one of those times of struggle right now. Do you see God responding to you the way Jesus responded to people in similar struggles when He was walking this earth?

To help us get our minds around Jesus as a picture of God’s character, we’re going to look at one of my favorite stories, in which I think we see many aspects of God’s character. We see that He is a healer. He is almighty. We see His loving Father-ness. We see Him bring peace, wholeness, shalom in every sense of the word. Read more

Posted on by Renee Meyer · 2 Comments

The Radiance of His Glory {Living on the Rock}

This week in my Living on the Rock Bible study*, we looked at the name and character of God.

And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, For You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You. (Psalm 9:10)

We spent our time together today thinking about how Jesus reveals God’s character to us.

For many, our salvation is the story of a wrathful God, angry at sin. Jesus, loving and kind, steps between the Father and us, saving us from wrathful God.

Do you relate to that picture at all? This dualistic view of God is very common, and can sometimes be hard to recognize in ourselves. A friend shared this morning that when she answered this question, she thought she wasn’t affected by this dualism. But in the course of our conversation, when someone expressed discomfort with some of how the Old Testament represents God, her first thought was “Well, that’s the Old Testament God, Jesus is something totally different.”

I thought that was such an important realization. Read more

Posted on by Renee Meyer

He is Able. But is He willing? {Living on the Rock}

It was so good to process my thoughts on “God is Able” with women from across various walks of life on Tuesday. In the course of the discussion, my friend Meredith said something that’s stuck with me. She said she struggles with the wording of “God is ABLE”. Because of course He’s able. But is He willing?

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Posted on by Renee Meyer

Safe in the Shadow {Living on the Rock}

Over the next few months, I am leading the most precious group of women at my church through a Bible study called “Living on the Rock: Finding Security in an Insecure World.” I plan to share some of what I’m learning and teaching here on the blog. You can find everything I’ve written about this under the tag “Living on the Rock”.

This week in Living on the Rock, we’re going to be taking a closer look at Psalm 91 (one of my favorites.)

Our truth for this week is

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust!”

I love the imagery of dwelling in the shelter or shadow of the Most High.

The word for dwell in Psalm 91:1 means to sit down, remain, or stay. It means to live, to abide. As in: I live in the Lord’s shadow – I’m close to Him, I’m in His presence.

The Message translates this: “You who sit down in the High God’s presence, spend the night in Shaddai’s shadow, Say this: “God, you’re my refuge. I trust in you and I’m safe!”

I trust in You, and I’m safe.

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