Barbara's Banter

Today is the day the Lord has made…

I will rejoice today because God knows my name.

At the end of the year, Time Magazine runs a series of articles featuring the 100 most influential people for that particular year. Sometimes they run this type series during the year in various categories such as the 100 most influential people in philanthropy, in New York, in AI, etc. Most people on these lists are unfamiliar to me. I suspect they are unfamiliar to most readers. There are so many people in the world, it is difficult to recognize even a few names.  

Truthfully, I don’t know very many influential people. Well, I do know one very influential being who trumps all the others—God. More importantly, this influential being knows me. 

Most of us would not be recognized in the world, but God recognizes us. It encourages me to know that God knows my name (Isaiah 43:1, 7; John 10:3). God hears my voice. God cares about what I think and how I feel (1 Peter 5:7). The hairs on my head are numbered (Matthew 10:30-32). He knows my sorrows and keeps track of my tears (Psalm 56:8). He knows my sitting down and rising up. He knows my paths. He understands my thoughts. God knows me inside and out, and loves me in spite of my inadequacies (Psalm 139:1-6).

I may not matter much to most of the world, but I matter to God. He even knows my name!

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called
you by name. You are Mine.” ~Isaiah 43:1 NASB

Today is the day the Lord has made…

I will rejoice today because the Lord is my shepherd. Most of us do not live in agricultural surroundings, so it is easy to miss the spiritual nuances of the many sheep and shepherd analogies in the Bible. Some people even take exception at being likened to sheep, but unfortunately we are like sheep.  We are easily led this way and that. We need a shepherd to love and take care of us.

Psalm 23 starts with “The Lord is my shepherd…” and continues to tell us why this is a good thing. The author which is King David brings insight to this passage because he was once a shepherd himself. Each verse invokes images of how God cares for us. God makes sure we never lack for anything we need. He provides rest, guidance, goodness, abundance, and love. He is always with us even during severe trials, including death.

The first part of John 10 further describes that a good shepherd not only guards and protects, but is willing to lay down his life for his sheep which is exactly what Jesus did for us. As God’s spiritual sheep we enjoy added blessings because He wants us to have an abundant life (John 10:10).

Being a sheep isn’t so bad if you have a Good Shepherd to take care of you…and we do!

“The Lord is my shepherd…” ~Psalm 23:1

Today is the day the Lord has made…

I will rejoice today because God answers all my prayers. It encourages me greatly to know that God listens with an empathetic ear to all my prayers. And, yes, indeed, God answers all my prayers.

Sometimes the answer is “yes.” Sometimes the answer is “no.” Sometimes the answer is “not yet.” Trusting God to answer in a way that is best for me personally is key to recognizing His answers when they come. Plus, many times He is not as concerned about my circumstances as what I can learn from them. God supplies all my needs, not necessarily all my wants. Those two are not the same.

However, there are times I ask God for what many might consider trivial things. Misplaced files, keys, or credit cards can drive a person crazy. I might search and search but to no avail. Then I sheepishly ask God to help me find something or help me let it go and move forward. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve done this and turn around to find the thing I’m looking for right before my eyes. I just have to pause and give thanks!

There are so many important events happening in the world that my tiny requests can pale in comparison. Therefore, I’m very moved when God takes the time to answer little prayers for me. It’s almost as if He says, “If it’s important to you, it’s important to me.”

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and
petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” ~Philippians 4:6

Today is the day the Lord has made…

I will rejoice today because I can pause and pray throughout my day. Pause and pray throughout each day. I like the way that sounds. It even rhymes.

Short, little talks with God throughout the day form a participatory relationship with Him. Letting God walk with us and be part of our daily lives will not only enhance our relationship with Him, but keep us cognizant of His presence. He is always with us.

We can ask God to open our ears so we can hear His voice as He speaks through our surroundings. For example, a child’s laughter can remind us to become as little children. We can ask God to open our eyes to see His spiritual perspective in every circumstance.

When we wake up we can say, “Good morning Lord. Thank you for another day of life!” We can thank Him for the taste of that cup of coffee or tea we enjoy so much because it helps us start our day. When we read a passage of scripture or our daily devotional, we can ask God how we can apply it in our lives. today.

If we are driving and pass a car accident or hear an ambulance, we can pray for the people involved. If thoughts of certain people pop into our mind, we can ask God to protect, encourage, or comfort them depending on what’s currently happening in their lives.

When we go to sleep at night, we can thank God that He never slumbers or sleeps. Instead, He keeps watch over us so we can get some rest. Saying short, little prayers throughout the day is one way we can rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks!  

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in
everything give thanks…” ~1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Today is the day the Lord has made…

I will rejoice today because I am a child of God.

People are actually shaped by the identities they assign themselves. They identify themselves based on their occupation, looks, education, gender, success, lack of money, or background. Sometimes they let others determine their identity which can be tricky since each person we meet views us differently. Images we have of ourselves can be hazy, like looking through a carnival mirror full of distortions. Our mirror needs to reflect who we really are in Christ, not some ambiguous likeness full of uncertainty. We are children of the living God.

It’s important that we think of ourselves as children of God first, and everything else second. To be a child of God means we are a son or daughter of the King, a prince or princess. We are in the royal family. Jesus is not only our Savior, but our older brother.

When we lose sight of this, our image can become skewed. We might feel poor when we are actually rich. We might feel weak when we actually have God’s strength inside us. We might feel unloved when God actually loves us with an eternal, everlasting love.

Thinking of ourselves as children of God reshapes the way we live each day. So let’s rejoice today because we are children of the living God.

“Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us,
that we should be called children of God!” ~1 John 3:1

Today is the day the Lord has made…

I will rejoice today because I am part of a never-ending story. Actually, I can go one step further and say I’m part of a never-ending, everlasting love story.

As a writer, I must admit I love a good story. Just like a funny joke needs a memorable punch line, a good story needs a good ending. I usually don’t like stories that never end. They go on and on and on and on. However, the exception for me is our never-ending, everlasting love story with Jesus.

Guess what? God is helping each of us write our own story with Him. This story is very personal because we are a vital part of it. I call it the never-ending, everlasting love story. God’s love not only helps our stories have meaning now, but in the future. We don’t even need to worry if we lose our physical lives because eternal life will follow. I’ve heard it said that R.I.P. on a tomb stone doesn’t have to mean “Rest in Peace.” It can mean “Rejoicing in Paradise!” I like that a lot!

God loves us with a never-ending, everlasting LOVE! That gives us reason to rejoice every day!

“I have loved you with an everlasting love…” ~Jeremiah 31:3

Today is the day the Lord has made…

I will rejoice today because no matter what language I speak, God understands me. God is a personal God and meets each of us where we are. God hears and speaks all languages.

I recently read an article in the Associated Press about people calling the Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL). They had an option to press a certain number for Spanish language communication. However, they got an automated AI voice that did not speak Spanish, but spoke English with a strong Spanish accent. The DOL apologized and said the problem had been fixed, but other calls to the service still got an accented voice using Spanish words for numbers such as, “Your estimated wait time is less than ‘tres’ minutes.” Sounds like they still have some glitches to work out!

Communicating with someone in a language they don’t understand can be difficult. Anyone who has done a bit of foreign travel know this is true. Some locations use icons to help us find restrooms which can be quite helpful. Asking for directions can be an exercise in charades or pantomime. Fortunately, it is easy to communicate with God.

One of the names for God in the Bible is El Roi (Genesis 16:13) which means “the God who sees me.” I think this implies more than Him just looking at us. God understands us. God hears us. God meets us where we are. God gives us His undivided attention. We don’t need a translator to interpret feelings, concerns, prayers, or our native tongue to God. There are thousands of languages and dialects in the world. AI might not understand them all, but God does!  

“There are so many kinds of languages in the world, and
none of them is without significance.” ~1 Corinthians 14:10

Today is the day the Lord has made…

I will rejoice today because God is my peace (Ephesians 2:14-18). My peace is not dependent on my circumstances but on the One who controls all circumstances.

I can have peace while facing the unknown. I can have peace while living in the middle of a mystery. I can have peace in all circumstances because my peace of mind does not rest on how much I know, how much I need to figure out, or how well I can predict the future. My peace comes from knowing the One who holds my future in His wise and gracious hands.

God is faithful, so I can depend on Him to give me what I need when I need it. He always knows what is best for me. God is sovereign so He rules all situations. He started a good work in me and will be faithful to complete it in His way and in His time (Philippians 1:6). Trusting in God is the only way to have peace.

“Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace
always in every way…” ~2 Thessalonians 3:16

Today is the day the Lord has made…

I will rejoice today because what I do matters. We all have a deep need to feel significant. Today’s world is adept at making us feel insignificant and worthless. So much so that many wonder if what they do in their everyday lives matters.

In Jennifer Breheny Wallace’s book Mattering, she explores the concept that everyone matters and we can help others feel like they matter too! “We are in a loneliness epidemic,” Wallace explains. “At the root of this is a mattering gap. When people don’t feel like they matter, they withdraw and isolate.”

We’ve all had the feeling of being taken for granted, overlooked, or ignored either in small or even big ways. However, in our hearts we know we matter to God. And because we matter to God we should want to make others feel that they matter as well. We can do this by paying attention to those we meet. Taking the time to smile and treating people with respect (Philippians 2:3) not only validates their self-worth but ours too.

I read a story years ago about a business school student who was taking a pop quiz. She seemed to breeze through the questions, until she got to the last one: “What is the name of the woman who cleans this school?”

Surely this was a joke, she thought. She had seen the woman several times. She could even describe her   but she had never engaged her in conversation or even knew her name.

Another student asked if the last question would count toward the quiz grade. The professor said, “Absolutely! In your careers you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you can do is smile and say hello.”

There’s a life lesson in that little story. Everyone matters. While it is true most of us won’t be changing the course of governments, global warming, social reform, or much of anything else on a grand scale, we can affect the lives of each and every person we meet. What we do matters!

“…let each esteem others better than himself.” ~Philippians 2:3

Today is the day the Lord has made…

I will rejoice today because I can depend on God. In fact, God wants us to depend on Him. Young children are quick to tell parents who offer help, “I can do it myself!”  They are eager to be self-sufficient.   

Our culture often extols independence as a quality filling one with confidence and leading to success. However, mature Christians know they can do nothing worthwhile without God’s help. They are called to surrender self-reliance. This surrender isn’t about forgetting responsibility. It’s about recognizing our need for God’s guidance, wisdom, and strength.

God wants us to acknowledge how much we need Him each and every day. Depending on God is not a sign of weakness but one of strength. Even Jesus recognized He could do nothing without God’s help (John 5:19, John 8:28). He came to do God’s will, not His own (John 6:38, John 7:28). And He set us an example to follow (John 13:15).

So no matter what today holds, I can depend on an all-powerful, loving God who is faithful, trustworthy, and reliable to take care of me.

“And my God will supply all your need according to His
riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” ~Philippians 4:19