Day 21: Genesis 49-Exodus 4; Matthew 16
At our recent pastor's prayer retreat, our District Superintendent, Rev. Kerry Willis, focused his prayer session on Exodus 3:14. When Moses asked God His name (all pagan gods had names, so to Moses it stood to reason that God must as well), God condescended to give Moses, Israel, and all of us 'The Name' (by the way, this is how faithful Jewish people to this day refer to Him: 'The Name' - Ha Shem). Names are proper nouns. If you remember English class, you know what I am talking about. God told Moses His name is YHWH...not a proper noun, but a verb. Since Hebrew does not have vowels, and for our convenience in pronunciation, we add vowels to YHWH and the derivative is Yahweh (Jehovah). This is a book's worth of conversation. Suffice it to say, YHWH means 'I AM' (spelled out it can mean, "I will be to you what you need Me to be, when you need Me to be that," Dr. Alvin Lawhead, former seminary Old Testament Professor). Powerful! Present Promise-keeping, Covenant God, I AM Who I AM!
Our D.S. spent time talking about the syllables of YHWH (YH/WH). Quite literally, YH is the breath of inhaling; WH is the exhale of breath. YH/WH - to breathe (especially through the mouth) is to speak His Name, The Name. Think about the implications. The first thing a newborn baby does is inhale and exhale...he, or she, breathes His Name: YH/WH. The last breath of a dying person is His Name: YH/WH. In reality, to breathe is to pray. That may seem to be stretching things a little, but consider the call to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). To the one in whom Christ dwells, to breathe is to pray. So Oswald Chambers, among others, is correct to call prayer 'the breath of the soul.' Furthermore, if you are a Christian, then you are 'born of the Spirit' (John 3:8). The word 'Spirit' in both Hebrew and Greek means: 'Spirit, Breath, Wind.' God's Holy Breath is in you, breathing in you! He is also interceding for (Romans 8:26-27) and in (Ephesians 6:18) you. Sometimes words are not enough, but groanings (a form of breathing) that cannot be expressed in words are dear to the heart of God. These He understands completely!
You know, I could go on indefinitely, but ponder this thought, child of God: to breathe is to pray. Just breathe!
Our D.S. spent time talking about the syllables of YHWH (YH/WH). Quite literally, YH is the breath of inhaling; WH is the exhale of breath. YH/WH - to breathe (especially through the mouth) is to speak His Name, The Name. Think about the implications. The first thing a newborn baby does is inhale and exhale...he, or she, breathes His Name: YH/WH. The last breath of a dying person is His Name: YH/WH. In reality, to breathe is to pray. That may seem to be stretching things a little, but consider the call to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). To the one in whom Christ dwells, to breathe is to pray. So Oswald Chambers, among others, is correct to call prayer 'the breath of the soul.' Furthermore, if you are a Christian, then you are 'born of the Spirit' (John 3:8). The word 'Spirit' in both Hebrew and Greek means: 'Spirit, Breath, Wind.' God's Holy Breath is in you, breathing in you! He is also interceding for (Romans 8:26-27) and in (Ephesians 6:18) you. Sometimes words are not enough, but groanings (a form of breathing) that cannot be expressed in words are dear to the heart of God. These He understands completely!
You know, I could go on indefinitely, but ponder this thought, child of God: to breathe is to pray. Just breathe!
Photo by Eli DeFaria on Unsplash.
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Archive
2023
January
Day 1: Genesis1-2; Matthew 1Day 2: Genesis 3-5; Matthew 2Day 3: Genesis 6-8; Matthew 3Day 4: Genesis 9-11; Matthew 4Day 5: Genesis 12-14; Matthew 5-6Day 6: Genesis 15-17; Matthew 7Day 7: Genesis 18-22Day 8: Matthew 8Day 9: Genesis 23-24; Matthew 9Day 10: Genesis 25-26; Matthew 10:1-25Day 11: Genesis 27-28; Matthew 10:26-42Day 12: Genesis 29-30; Matthew 11Day 13: Genesis 31-32; Matthew 12:1-21Day 14: Genesis 33-37Day 15: Matthew 12:22-13:23Day 16: Genesis 38-40; Matthew 13:24-58Day 17: Genesis 41; Matthew 14:1-21Day 18: Genesis 42-43; Matthew 14:22-36Day 19: Genesis 44-45; Matthew 15:1-20Day 20: Genesis 46-48; Matthew 15:21-39Day 21: Genesis 49-Exodus 4; Matthew 16Day 22: Genesis 49-Exodus 4; Matthew 16Day 23: Exodus 5-6; Matthew 17Day 24: Exodus 7-10; Matthew 18:1-20Day 25: Exodus 11-12; Matthew 18:21-35Day 26: Exodus 13-15; Matthew 19:1-15Day 27: Exodus 16-18; Matthew 19:16-30Day 28: Exodus 19-22; Matthew 20:1-16Day 29: Exodus 19-22; Matthew 20:1-16Day 30: Exodus 23-25; Matthew 20:17-34Day 31: Exodus 26-28; Matthew 21
February
Day 32: Exodus 29-30; Matthew 22:1-22Day 33: Exodus 31-33; Matthew 22:23-46-Day 34: Exodus 34-36; Matthew 23:1-22Day 35: Exodus 37 - Leviticus 1; Matthew 23:23-39Day 36: Exodus 37 - Leviticus 1; Matthew 23:23-39Day 37: Leviticus 2-3; Matthew 24Day 38: Leviticus 4-6; Matthew 25:1-30Day 39: Leviticus 7-9; Matthew 25:31-46
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What a God! That He cares as He does. For me.