James 2:7 (NLT)
Aren’t they the ones who slander Jesus Christ, whose noble name you bear?
I love this verse! Every time I read it, I begin to smile. That might seem unusual at first, especially when looking at it out of context and the first half of the verse is talking about slandering the name of Christ.
But oh how the second half makes me smile "...whose noble name you bear”. AKA if God had a last name it would be mine and yours. When I think about that I can't help but smile. The same and only God who created the universe, The Founder and Author of everything and every place that I have and ever will see or set foot on while here on this earth, is my Dad! Owning a remote island seems really cool until you realize your Dad owns and created the entire world!
I think about kids growing up and the talks on the playground between boys bragging about their dads and how tough they are or what they can do.
(Boy 1) "Oh yeah? Well my dad is..."
(Boy 2) That's nothing! My dad can..."
I can only imagine what would happen if one of them just went ahead and laid it all out there and said, "My Dad created the oceans, the skies, and everything in them. He knows the number of hairs on my head, keeps record of my tears, knows how many steps I'll take while playing on this playground, knew the number of syllables I would use in this conversation before I even had lips. He tucked the ore in the mountains that made the metal on that swing set over there, and created the air you fly through when you jump out of that swing. Through His knowledge and wisdom He created gravity so you will land in that dirt spot that is 5 feet in front of that swing and you won't continue floating into space. When He commands it, the moisture from that Kool- aid you just spilt on the ground will rise to the sky, and like a heavenly well will shower rain drops that will fall back on that same dirt spot and replace it with His green grass once again. Yeah... That's my Dad!” (Huge smile.)
The best part is, this is our Dad! It is true! We bear His noble name, and He has adopted us into His family as His sons and daughters (Galatians 3:26). Think about the magnitude of that! I don't know about you, but there have been times for me when things get really tough, the enemy is continually attacking, and God has to remind me of my family lineage (Galatians 3:29).
I wholeheartedly believe that we sometimes settle for what the enemy wants to sell us instead of what God (our Dad) wants to give us! Not because He has to, or because we deserve it, but simply because He can and He loves us! Everything is His and He has "all authority" in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). He has a giant pantry and He knows how to cook up a “hearty” meal that will satisfy our soul and give us the nourishment we need to finish the race, to reach the lost, and fulfill our purpose.
Father,
Thank You for being The Beginning and The End. Thank You for allowing us to walk in Your victory! Thank You for loving us enough to not only create us, but to call us and provide for us every second of the day. You graciously gave us in this world You created! We love You, we honor You, and thank You for adopting us into Your family. Thank You that through our spiritual birth in Your son Jesus, you willingly and eagerly sign Your name "I AM" as Father on our birth certificates. We love you Dad!! Amen!
Aren’t they the ones who slander Jesus Christ, whose noble name you bear?
I love this verse! Every time I read it, I begin to smile. That might seem unusual at first, especially when looking at it out of context and the first half of the verse is talking about slandering the name of Christ.
But oh how the second half makes me smile "...whose noble name you bear”. AKA if God had a last name it would be mine and yours. When I think about that I can't help but smile. The same and only God who created the universe, The Founder and Author of everything and every place that I have and ever will see or set foot on while here on this earth, is my Dad! Owning a remote island seems really cool until you realize your Dad owns and created the entire world!
I think about kids growing up and the talks on the playground between boys bragging about their dads and how tough they are or what they can do.
(Boy 1) "Oh yeah? Well my dad is..."
(Boy 2) That's nothing! My dad can..."
I can only imagine what would happen if one of them just went ahead and laid it all out there and said, "My Dad created the oceans, the skies, and everything in them. He knows the number of hairs on my head, keeps record of my tears, knows how many steps I'll take while playing on this playground, knew the number of syllables I would use in this conversation before I even had lips. He tucked the ore in the mountains that made the metal on that swing set over there, and created the air you fly through when you jump out of that swing. Through His knowledge and wisdom He created gravity so you will land in that dirt spot that is 5 feet in front of that swing and you won't continue floating into space. When He commands it, the moisture from that Kool- aid you just spilt on the ground will rise to the sky, and like a heavenly well will shower rain drops that will fall back on that same dirt spot and replace it with His green grass once again. Yeah... That's my Dad!” (Huge smile.)
The best part is, this is our Dad! It is true! We bear His noble name, and He has adopted us into His family as His sons and daughters (Galatians 3:26). Think about the magnitude of that! I don't know about you, but there have been times for me when things get really tough, the enemy is continually attacking, and God has to remind me of my family lineage (Galatians 3:29).
I wholeheartedly believe that we sometimes settle for what the enemy wants to sell us instead of what God (our Dad) wants to give us! Not because He has to, or because we deserve it, but simply because He can and He loves us! Everything is His and He has "all authority" in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). He has a giant pantry and He knows how to cook up a “hearty” meal that will satisfy our soul and give us the nourishment we need to finish the race, to reach the lost, and fulfill our purpose.
Father,
Thank You for being The Beginning and The End. Thank You for allowing us to walk in Your victory! Thank You for loving us enough to not only create us, but to call us and provide for us every second of the day. You graciously gave us in this world You created! We love You, we honor You, and thank You for adopting us into Your family. Thank You that through our spiritual birth in Your son Jesus, you willingly and eagerly sign Your name "I AM" as Father on our birth certificates. We love you Dad!! Amen!
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