The Most High

I went to Bible study at my church this morning.  This was the first Tuesday that I’ve been able to go, but I’m already excited about next week.  We’re learning the different names of God & what they mean to us.

Today, the name was El Elyon, or Most High God, God that is sovereign over every aspect of our lives.  My God is big.  The Most High.  He holds everything in His hands.  He has a purpose and a plan for each and every one of us.  The thing that I am having a bit of a struggle with is that I have to be determined to follow Him, no matter what kind of day or events I am handed.  To remember that whatever comes to me today has already been sifted through fingers of love.  That nothing that has ever been created can pluck me from His hands. (Romans 8:38-39)

When my world is shaking, Heaven stands

When my heart is breaking, I never leave Your hands

Your hands, Your hands that shaped the world,

Are holding me, they hold me still

Your hands that shaped the world…

(From “Your Hands” by JJ Heller)

Mrs. Jeana gives an object out to everyone each week.  She actually gives two things, one to keep as a reminder of the lesson, and one to give away.  Today she gave us a kaleidoscope.  The lesson was that when you look through a kaleidoscope, everything looks broken & in pieces.  Through our human eyes, this is how we see ourselves and one another.  Broken. Imperfect. Flawed.  Things we don’t like.  We sometimes forget that God has created us.  He knows our imperfections, our brokenness, our flaws, and He loves us anyway.  He sees us in our beautiful mess that we are, and He sees the perfect, put together picture of what He is at work assembling our pieces to be.

Wow.  When it’s put that way….

I hope through this study that I can learn more about the different names of God, how to apply them to my life, and how to witness to others effectively.  That I can have the words to say to win others to Christ.  I don’t know how I’m going to overcome that fear of not having the words, not knowing answers to tough questions.  I don’t know what my purpose is or how God is going to use me for Him.  But I do, absolutely, know a few things.

• I know that I am a beastly, ugly, broken mess
• I know that God sees my mess, but He loves me, and He’s working to put me back together
• I know that through prayer and faith, He will give me the words to speak, and use me for His will

And that makes me smile.