Teach us to pray, part 22: Elohim

And He said to them, "When you pray, say: 'Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. 'Give us each day our daily bread. 'And forgive us our sins, For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.'" (Luke 11:2-4 NASB)

Elohim

Elohim is the Hebrew word meaning God, and is used more than 2,600 times in the Old Testament. The derivation is not certain, but some scholars think it is derived from a root meaning "strong". It is first used in Genesis 1:1. 

"In the beginning God (Elohim) created the heaven and the earth."

David used this name for God repeatedly, and Psalm 68 is filled with references to Elohim that help us understand this God we serve a bit better. The psalmist tells us that God is a father to the fatherless and a judge for the widows, He makes a home for the lonely, and leads the prisoners into prosperity. The presence of God brings rain, and He provides His goodness for the poor. 

Blessed by the Lord, who daily bears our burden,

The God who is our salvation.

God is us a God of deliverances.

Psalm 68:19-20

David wrote that our strength is commanded by God and that we are to ascribe strength to Him. "The God of Israel Himself gives strength and power to the people." (Ps. 68:35)

Look again at the ones for whom our strong God cares: the fatherless, the widows, the lonely, those who are prisoners, the poor. He loves us all, but He pays particular attention to those who cannot care for themselves. He gives the strong their strength and gives His strength to the weak. He bears our burdens Himself, and delivers us from our trouble.

There is no burden so great that He cannot bear it, nor so complicated that He cannot deliver me from it. What a consolation to know that I serve a God who can handle anything that comes my way, and what a comfort to know that God cares about me in my weakness! When I am weak, He is not only strong, He gives me the strength I need.

How, then, do I honor the name of this One who cares so much for me? I must care about the ones He cares about. I, too, must love the fatherless, the widows, the lonely, those who are in prison, the poor. I, too, must be concerned for those who cannot care for themselves. 

Having a tender heart toward the weak is not enough. God's caring results in action, and mine should, too. When He sees the lonely, He doesn't just feel sorry for them, He makes a home for them. When He sees a widow, He doesn't just take note of her, He stands up for her and insures that she is treated fairly. 

Hallowing the name of Elohim means that I use my strength to help those who are weak, and that begins with looking around me to see the needs, then taking action to meet those needs. I must be the hands and feet of Christ, "Jesus with skin on" to those in need. 

There is good news, however. Serving God is not just doing good deeds. Hallowing Him also requires that I recognize Him and honor God for His great attributes. When I am the one that is weak, I have no need to fear. The One who cares for the lilies and the birds also cares for me, and I can take my burdens to Him and leave them at His feet.

The name of the Lord is a strong tower:

the righteous runneth into it, 

and is safe.  (Psalm 18:10)

There is no need so great that God cannot help me. There is no danger so severe that He cannot protect me. His name is a strong tower, a safe place, even in the midst of trouble. In time of need, run to the only One who can keep us safe. Elohim.

A visit at Martha's House, part 20: Jesus, the Defender

But the Lord answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:41-42 NASB)

A very interesting thing happened at Martha's house the day Jesus came to visit. After He arrived, he went straight to the business of preaching. That's probably not what He would have called it, but he sat down and started talking. When He talked, He spoke truth that needed to be heard, and Mary did not want to miss a word. She positioned herself at His feet and listened intently. Martha, however, was scurrying about, "making preparations" for her guests, but not spending time with those guests.

As we have seen, Martha was frustrated with Mary for not helping her and that frustration rose to such a point that Martha took her anger to Jesus. "Mary is not helping! You come here with a dozen men and it is a lot of work to take care of You! Tell her to come and help me!" That's not how she said it, but it was the essence of what she said. Martha went to Jesus expecting that He would defend her. What a surprise it was for her when He did not!

It's interesting to me that Mary sat at the feet of Jesus and did not say a word. She did not get up, either. I would have popped up and hurried to calm the conflict. I would have wanted to defend myself. Not Mary. She sat calmly at the feet of Jesus and stayed put, letting Jesus defend her if He would, and defend her is exactly what He did.

Scripture is filled with images of our Lord as a strong tower, a defense in time of trouble, a refuge in the storm, and Mary found that to be true in the small storm brewing around her at Martha's house. Our Lord is a strong tower and we can run to Him for refuge. 

For Thou hast been a defense for the helpless, a defense for the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, and shade from the heat; for the breath of the ruthless is like a rain storm against a wall.  Isaiah 25:4 NASB

He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark. Psalm 91:4 NASB

My tendency is to want Jesus to defend me, no matter what, but a look at this passage shows us that, in the dispute between two much loved women, Jesus chose the part of the one at His feet. The refuge under His wings described in Psalm 91:4 is a beautiful place, but it is promised to the one who "dwells in the shelter of the Most High." 

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide n the shadow of the Almighty." 
Psalm 91:1 NASB

Many times, Israel found themselves on the receiving end of discipline from the Lord that they did not expect. Israel, though much loved and blessed by God, was also disciplined by Him when they turned away from Him. It was only when their hearts turned back toward Him that His defense would come.

This is a hard word, and I hesitate to speak it, but it is one we would do well to consider. It is one I, myself, need to remember. Our Lord will not defend my sin. If I choose the way of the world, I should not expect Him to embrace my choice nor to defend my choice. It is only when I choose "the good part" that He will defend the choice I have made. Will He still love me when I do wrong? Of course, He still loves us, but our perfect God has no part with the sin of this world except to cleanse us from it.

The beautiful truth that Mary found is one I have found as well.  The faithful disciple can count on our faithful Lord to defend our walk of obedience. What uncommon, unbounded, amazing grace is found when I embrace the simple life of following Him. In that walk of discipleship, I do not have to defend myself, for my Lord will rise to my defense Himself. He is a strong tower, and, though the breath of the ruthless come against that tower like a raging storm, the walls will hold. (Isaiah 25:4) Isn't that a beautiful image? 

Dear ones, may you and I position ourselves at the feet of Jesus, staying there no matter what storm comes against us, confident that our Lord will not only protect us, He will defend us, as well.