It was one of those mornings that things just didn’t seem like they were going to go all that well for the day…It was a woke up late, spilt your coffee, and forget to brush your hair kinda morning. I was feeling pretty lousy and mad that things didn’t look differently. I really just wasn’t havin’ it.
I was anxious about the Race, anxious about fundraising and school, pretty much the list of never-ending things. I was allowing a stream of anxious thoughts to circle in my head and fill it with fear.
A couple months ago, I was studying the different names of God and the one that seemed to grip my heart the most was “Jehovah Nissi” or “The Lord My Banner.”
Let me break it down further (shout out to Blue Letter Bible for this great translation)…
Jehovah is translated as “The Existing One” or “Lord”
Jehovah is derived from the Hebrew word Havah meaning “to be” or “to exist”, it also suggests specifically “to become known” –this denotes a God who reveals Himself unceasingly.
Nissi means, “banner”.
“Jehovah Nissi” is only used once in the entire bible. In Exodus, Moses recognized that the Lord was Israel’s banner under which they defeated the Amalekites. Soldiers would fly flags and it would give them a feeling of hope and a focal point.
He is “Jehovah Nissi”, meaning He is a banner of encouragement, hope, and a focal point for us.
That morning, I put my focus completely on everything going on in my life. I put my focus on my anxieties, my fears, and my worries. I was putting my eyes on everything BUT Him.
Later that day, in the middle of all my mess (He has perfect timing), I received a letter with the name Jehovah Nissi written inside. The name that, a couple month’s prior, my heart had clung so closely to and hung on every word of the translation.
There He was, reminding who He is.
I exist in ALL moments. I am there at ALL times, waiting to be seen.
I AM your hope, I AM your focus.
He is there, always. In every moment, waiting for us to look to Him.
He is there, waiting for us to remove our eyes from anxiety, from fear, and look to Him.
By that letter, and multiple other ways that day, He reminded me again of how faithful He is.
He is Jehovah Nissi, the Existing One, a focal point for hope and encouragement.
Existing in all moments…
seeing you, knowing you, and loving you.
Waiting to be seen.
He is the place that is free of fear, anxiety, and worry.
He is calling us to reside in that place with Him…for Him to be our ever-present hope and focus.
I was a wreck that morning. I allowed my mind to spin around in circles, not taking my thoughts captive whatsoever.
But when He finally got my attention, He taught me so much that morning.
He showed me (again) who He is for me, just as He desires to be for all of us.
He wants to live in those mornings of anxiety with you, and breathe everlasting Life and hope into every moment…It truly is the greatest thing.
In our mess, hurt, heartache, and joys may we always know and see Him as Jehovah Nissi.
