Bible Reading:
[Mark 14:3,6,8,9]
While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the house of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head
... said Jesus. "... She has done a beautiful thing to me."
"She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial."
"I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her."
[II Samuel 7: 2-5, 11, 16]
He said to Nathan the prophet, "Here I am, living in a palace of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent."
Nathan replied to the king, "Whatever you have in mind, go ahead and do it, for the Lord is with you."
That night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying:
"Go and tell my servant David, 'this is what the Lord says: Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in? ... The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you... Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.'"
[Matthew 25:40]
The king will reply, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."
[I John 4:21]
And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.
My reflections:
If I had to choose two people who expressed their love of the Lord the best in the Bible, I would pick, in the New Testament, the woman who broke her alabaster jar to pour very expensive perfume on Jesus and, in the Old Testament, David, who was described as a man after God's own heart (I Samuel 13:14). David's expression of love reached its acme, when he showed passion to build God's temple. God, in reply, promised that he would establish David's house, which will endure forever. What is common in these two people's expression of love of the Lord is that their love was directed to the Lord's body. Their love was shown to the Lord Incarnate or for the Temple, symbolizing the Body of Christ. Because of their love, the woman and David were blessed by the Lord beyond any measure.
We likewise can express our love of the Lord similarly. We can do so, by loving our brothers and sisters in the Lord, who are the building blocks of the Church, the Body of Christ. The Lord said that whatever we do to the least of the brothers amounts to doing the same for the Lord himself. He gave us a new command that we must love one another. He furthermore said that whoever has not resolved a conflict with his brother is not worthy to partake in the worship (Matthew 5:23,24). It is also written that if anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar (I John 4;20).
When we sing praises to the Lord and wish that our love expression of the Lord would be heard by the Lord, we must first begin by showing love of our brothers and sisters.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Praising the Name of the Lord
Bible Reading
[Exodus 3:14,15]
God said to Moses, "I am who I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.'"
God also said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites, 'The Lord, the God of your fathers - the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob - has sent me to you.' This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation."
[Isaiah 43:3]
For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior ...
[1 Chronicles 16:10, 29]
Glory in his holy name; let the heart of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name. Bring an offering and come before him; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.
[Psalm 20:7]
Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
[Acts 2:21]
And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
[Deuteronomy 28:10]
Then all the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they will fear you.
[Revelations 3:12]
Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name.
My reflections:
Names play a very important role in the Bible. Names stand for and represent their owner, and the meaning of the name often foretold the character and future of the owner. To confer a good name was a blessing (Genesis 17:5 - Abram -> Abraham; Genesis 32:28 & 35:10 - Jacob -> Israel).
In the Bible, there are several names of our Lord God. God is I AM, the Lord of lords, the King of kings, the Almighty, "our Righteousness" (Jeremiah 23:6), "beyond understanding" (Judges 13:18), and "Wonderful" (Isaiah 9:6). To call on His name is to worship Him (Genesis 12:8, 13:4); his name is the object of our praise (2 Samuel 22:50, 1 Chronicles 16: 10, 29, 35, Nehemiah 9:5, Psalm 8:1, 9, 9:2, 18:49 ... ); and the temple is where the Lord's name resides (Deuteronomy 12:11; 1 Kings 8:29). The city that represents the complete restoration of Israel will be named "The Lord is There" (Ezekiel 48:35)
In the language of the New Testament, we who are the components of the Church are that temple and that city (1 Corinthians 6:19; Revelations 21:2). For us, the name of the Lord Jesus is the power that gives us healing and salvation (Acts 2:21, 3:16, 4:12), the assurance of faith that our prayer will be answered (John 14:14, 15:16, 16:24), and gave us the new name 'Christians' (Acts 11:26). To be called Christians means that we are called by the name of the Lord (Deuteronomy 28:10). This is not only a blessing in this age, but also an eternal blessing that we will be recorded in the book of Life as citizens of the new Jerusalem (Revelations 3:12, 22:4). Isn't it only proper that we should praise the name of the Lord?
[Exodus 3:14,15]
God said to Moses, "I am who I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.'"
God also said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites, 'The Lord, the God of your fathers - the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob - has sent me to you.' This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation."
[Isaiah 43:3]
For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior ...
[1 Chronicles 16:10, 29]
Glory in his holy name; let the heart of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name. Bring an offering and come before him; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.
[Psalm 20:7]
Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
[Acts 2:21]
And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
[Deuteronomy 28:10]
Then all the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they will fear you.
[Revelations 3:12]
Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name.
My reflections:
Names play a very important role in the Bible. Names stand for and represent their owner, and the meaning of the name often foretold the character and future of the owner. To confer a good name was a blessing (Genesis 17:5 - Abram -> Abraham; Genesis 32:28 & 35:10 - Jacob -> Israel).
In the Bible, there are several names of our Lord God. God is I AM, the Lord of lords, the King of kings, the Almighty, "our Righteousness" (Jeremiah 23:6), "beyond understanding" (Judges 13:18), and "Wonderful" (Isaiah 9:6). To call on His name is to worship Him (Genesis 12:8, 13:4); his name is the object of our praise (2 Samuel 22:50, 1 Chronicles 16: 10, 29, 35, Nehemiah 9:5, Psalm 8:1, 9, 9:2, 18:49 ... ); and the temple is where the Lord's name resides (Deuteronomy 12:11; 1 Kings 8:29). The city that represents the complete restoration of Israel will be named "The Lord is There" (Ezekiel 48:35)
In the language of the New Testament, we who are the components of the Church are that temple and that city (1 Corinthians 6:19; Revelations 21:2). For us, the name of the Lord Jesus is the power that gives us healing and salvation (Acts 2:21, 3:16, 4:12), the assurance of faith that our prayer will be answered (John 14:14, 15:16, 16:24), and gave us the new name 'Christians' (Acts 11:26). To be called Christians means that we are called by the name of the Lord (Deuteronomy 28:10). This is not only a blessing in this age, but also an eternal blessing that we will be recorded in the book of Life as citizens of the new Jerusalem (Revelations 3:12, 22:4). Isn't it only proper that we should praise the name of the Lord?
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