Photography

What’s In A Name?

/ Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

I learn from observing people. Some of those people enlighten me and cause me to grow. I seek to be more like them because they inspire me. My close friend Rebecca is just that type of person. She is wise and funny and has a non-cutting sarcastic way about her. She is unique and I love to be around her. One of the numerous things that I have noticed about her over the years is the way she greets people, all people.   She names the person by name and emphasizes that name with the slightest bit of a song to her voice. “Hi SuSIE!” with a big smile and a friendly laugh. People usually put the emphasis on the “HI” part. It may seem like such a small detail, but it is major in my mind. I think that most people don’t notice the way she says it, but they know how she makes them feel. They feel valued, loved, greeted warmly, called by name with enthusiasm. I want to be like that. I want people to know that I remember their names and that I care when I see them.

God’s Word says that Jesus calls us by name. I imagine in my mind, my Savior, calling me by name with His hand outstretched. It warms my heart to the core. It also sometimes gives me pause because there are SO many people in this world and I am just one. Does He really care to call me “Susie”, reach out His hand to me, and with laughter and a trace of a song in His voice, beckon me to come along with Him?

Yes.

Say it again, Suz.

Yes.

Isaiah 45:3 “I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.”

Let Him call you by name. No walls. Just let Him.

What’s in a name? Much. If you go to http://www.biblegateway.com and search for the word “name” in Scripture, you will have close to 950 verses that mention that word. The Bible speaks much about the almighty name of God. It also speaks a lot about our names, their meanings, where they are written.

My name is written on His heart. I am His beloved. My name is written in His book of life. It gives me peace.

May His Name be honored and glorified in my life. May I reach out to others speaking their names with light and life in my voice.

– Susie Stewart

 

John 20:31 “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

Revelation 3:12 “The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them 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 them my new name.”

Psalm 86:11 “Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.”

Jeremiah 15:16 “When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, Lord God Almighty.”

Revelation 20:15 “Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.”

 

Photo taken by Andy Stewart

 

Do and Be

/ Susie Stewart / 2 Comments

Sometimes when I’m praying, something comes out of my mouth that makes me pause…  It makes me marvel.  Because the Holy Spirit dwells in me there are times when what comes out of my mouth is not at all an original thought from me.  I know it is God teaching me.  He is  using the words that come out of my mouth, as His words to me.  Amazing because HE is the  One I am speaking to.

This morning I sat by our living room window admiring the falling snow of a spring Colorado storm, thinking about God and talking to Him about the beauty outside, about things I’m thankful for, worshiping Him.  Then I said, “Lord, today, help me to DO and to BE.”  Wait, what did I just say?  Help me to Do and to Be.  Yes, that’s right, that’s what I hope for as a Believer in Jesus!

Our days can be so unbalanced sometimes.  Go, go, go.  We hit the ground running and at the end of it all, we drop into bed, only to start it again the next day.  Life is like that.  “Be still and know that I am God.” (Ps. 46:10)  BUT I have this to finish, I have that to do, I don’t have time….  Time needs to be found to BE.  Time needs to be found to meditate, to contemplate, to listen.

And what am I DOing, too?  Is what I am doing counting for anything?  Or is it just work and entertaining self…  What of the Kingdom?  The heart of God for the souls of people?  What of that?  Ephesians 2:10 is my husband Andy’s favorite verse, “For we are created in Christ Jesus to do good works which He prepared in advance for us to do.”  That’s the DOing that I want to be about.  I want to be about the good works that my Lord has prepared, in advance mind you, for me to do.  There is purpose in that.

There will always be the “regular” stuff of life, like cleaning bathrooms, and feeding the dog, and pulling weeds.  But can’t those things even be done to the glory of God?  Can we not do those things without a complaining heart, but a grateful one?  I say yes.  When the Spirit of the living God is living inside of you, He can even make a prison cell a place of worship and praise.  Ask Paul.  Ask Peter.  Ask the Believers who are currently in prison cells in dark places around the world right now.

As humans, I don’t think we’ll ever get the balance of DOing and BEing just right.  But submitting to the Holy Spirit and allowing Him to speak to us, to love us, to minister to us, to teach us before we head out into the go, go, go makes all the difference in the world.  It will help us to listen for His voice that enables us to BE in the middle of busyness.

BEing is deliberate.  DOing is also deliberate.  I think a person can go throughout their entire day and do neither.  I want to BE before God and I want to DO what He has prepared for me.  Awareness, a listening heart, saying no to things that steal my heart away from the Way, the Truth and the Life….

Jesus, show me what I should be doing today as I abide in You.  (John 15)

– Susie Stewart

Photo taken by Susie Stewart