Jer 29:11 - In a New Light

11 For I know the plans I have for you,

declares the LORD, plans for welfare (peace) and not for evil,

to give you a future and a hope.

You this is a scripture that I have heard all my life to encourage me through a rough time, to lift me up when I was dicouraged, or just to help me through a velly season. But last night as I was praying for a friend I realized something. This was spoken from the heart of God to me, and in the same way my husband, my children, and my friends should know that I feel the same way about them.

I want my husband to let me know that even when we disagree, or he feels differently about something than I do, that his plans for me are for peace and hope. He should feel the same way about me. My everyday actions should let him know that I want our future to be happy. That if I confront him about something that it is becuase I want our future to be better.

My children should see that even when I have to discipline them that it is becuase I love them and it is going to make the future more peaceful.

All in all, it goes along with doing everything in love. Maybe it is just seeing it in a diiferent light. It makes me examine my motives and actions more closely.

Who is God? My Jehovah Nissi

Recently, during worship God simply asked me who he was to me and I heard the question, "How can you worship someone without knowing who they are?" So I began going through the small list of names of God that I knew and what they meant to me. So now I am going to go through and spend a little time on each one of them as I am led and dig a little deeper into what they mean and the scriptures attached to the name.

My favorite is Jehovah Nissi. It simply means The Lord Our Banner.

The only reference to this is in Exodus 17:15. Moses had sent Joshua to war with Amalek. Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up on the mountain overlooking the battlefield. If Moses' hands were up the army was winning, if not they were losing. So Aaron and Hur stood on either side and held up his hands for him. After the batlle was won Moses built an alter to The Lord Our Banner.

I find it strange that this is the only place where it is mentioned. However you can find many references to banners in battle. The banner is what identified your family, your army, whatever group you were in. The people carrying the banner were the first ones to the battle field.

Pslams 60:4 says: Then you planted a flag to rally your people, an unfurled flag to look to for courage. (the message) Other versions say a banner.

Song of Soloman 2:4 says: He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.

Whenever I think of God being my Jehovah Nissi I see a majestic banner that goes before me into battle and everyday life. This banner is so majestic that it alone demands respect. The enemy fears this banner because it is a banner that never falls during battle. I see Aslan from the movie standing on the rock with a majestic beautiful flowing banner behind him.

The banner over each and every one of us is LOVE. He loves us more than we will ever be able to grasp. He stands over us even when we battle. All we have to do is look to him in that battle and He will give us courage.