On your next visit to a large shopping mall, see if one of the busiest kiosks is not the one selling genealogical information: family histories, coats of arms, and the derivation of names. People are fascinated with discovering their “true” identities. “Were our ancestors really ‘bakers?’” the Baker family asks. “Are we descended from blacksmiths and metal workers?” the Smith children ask their parents. A name can tell a lot about who we are—or were.

God takes naming seriously as well. Not only did he name the parts of his original creation (Genesis 1:3-10), but he named the stars as well (Isaiah 40:26). And to Adam he gave the task of naming the animals (Genesis 2:20) and Adam’s children (Genesis 4:1,2,26). God’s own names were one of the most important indicators of his identity. Not only did God name himself at times (Exodus 3:14), he also received the names which his chosen people gave to him as they came to know him personally. One of those names was “Sovereign Lord.”

This compound name of God is beautiful in that it reveals the two attributes of God most cherished by Israel: God’s personal approachability and his mighty rule. Think of a father in a home who tenderly lavishes affection on his children yet firmly acts as the authority. Or think of a shepherd who binds the wounds of his sheep, yet uses his rod to drive away the ravenous wolves. Affection, yet authority. Tenderness, yet strength. Servant leadership, yet sovereign lordship.

“Sovereign” to the Israelite meant master or ruler; the one over whom no one else had power or authority. “Lord” (Yahweh) was the name God gave the Israelites to use in their personal relationship with him. “Sovereign Lord” is the name of the God who tenderly saved his infant nation from slavery, and totally destroyed her enemy in the Red Sea. Moses truly knew God as “Sovereign Lord.”

Do you know God like Moses did—as Sovereign Lord? One of the reasons God exists is to reveal himself to you—to show you his true identity—as the God who loves and protects his children.

God’s Promise to You: “I will always love you and protect you.”

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“No excuses!” How many times in your life have those case-closing words rung in your ears—or proceeded from your mouth? While the words are often spoken by parents, teachers, coaches, or judges with a finality that sounds irrefutable, there is probably always room for argument in the realm of human experience. Were the instructions really clear? Did my child truly understand? Is the law really without loopholes? Sometimes in life there may be a valid excuse even in the face of “No excuses!”

However, there is one place where excuses are not valid: the court room where the existence of God is on trial. The Bible promises that God has made His existence crystal clear to every person who has ever lived. So clear, in fact, that “men are without excuse” (v. 19).

How can we be sure that God exists? First of all, because God has made it plain. If it is so plain, we wonder, why doesn’t everyone simply see the evidence and believe? Without proposing all of the theological and philosophical answers to that question (and there are some good ones), the problem at its simplest may be one of looking for the wrong thing; not being able to see the forest for the trees. Do you remember the Russian cosmonauts who boldly announced their intention to solve the problem of the existence of God? They would simply look around heaven and see if He was there! Upon returning to earth, they said, “We looked, and there was no God.” In Biblical terms, that’s like saying, “We saw no forest; all we saw were thousands of trees.” They were so focused on seeing a “being” that, in the midst of one of the most spectacular showcases of God’s mighty power, they were blind to the evidence of His existence.

If you ever question God’s existence, simply look around. A star-studded sky, the dimpled cheek of a newborn, the complex design of a flower, the life-giving rain and sunshine—all these and more paint a plain picture of His presence and His power in our world.

God’s Promise to You: “Even in your darkest moments, My presence and My power are plainly seen in what I have made.”

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- This is part of a series on dependence on God. -

Fifth, we are God’s children. God will never treat us as orphans who need to fend for themselves. Failure to grasp this will lead inevitably to worry and failure in our moral lives. In fact, it is not an overstatement to say that the most important thing about us is what comes to mind when we think of God, as A.W. Tozer clarifies:

That our idea of God correspond as nearly as possible to the true being of God is of immense importance to us. Compared with our actual thoughts about Him, our [doctrinal] statements are of little consequence. Our real idea of God may lie buried under the rubbish of conventional religious notions and may require an intelligent and vigorous search before it is finally unearthed and exposed for what it is. Only after an ordeal of painful self-probing are we likely to discover what we actually believe about God. A right conception of God is basic not only to systematic theology but to practical Christian living as well. It is to worship what the foundation is to the temple; where it is inadequate or out of plumb the whole structure must sooner or later collapse. I believe there is scarcely an error in doctrine or a failure in applying Christian ethics that cannot be traced finally to imperfect and ignoble thoughts about God.[1]

If we view God as a cosmic killjoy, we will likely be plagued with guilt and shame over every sinful thought or angry moment. If God is seen as some kind of doting grandfather who turns a blind eye at our shortcomings, we will be likely to excuse our wrong actions. If we think God is looking for a good bargain, we will expect him to come through for us when we have done something good for him. Our quality of life will always rise and fall on our view of God and our expectations of him. Once we come to know God as the faithful Father he is, worry simply does not make sense.

Sixth, when we worry about tomorrow we miss out on today. Jesus recognizes that our days will be filled with trouble. We simply cannot afford the luxury of worrying, casting our eyes on future affliction. Each day will demand our best attention. Any problem we face can be handled, with God’s help, one day at a time.

- This is part of a series on dependence on God. -

Second, the God who cares for birds will care for his people. After all, humans are of much greater value than any bird. “Look at the birds” implies “Look and Learn.” We can learn much from these flighty little fellows. They are industrious yet carefree. Without the benefit of barns they manage to find food each day. That is God’s provision for them. For us, God’s provision is greater. We have been given the ability to manipulate our environment. To grow crops, raise animals and preserve food. Not only are we more capable than the birds to provide food for ourselves, but we are also more valuable in God’s eyes (Matt. 10:29-31). How much less, then, we should worry.

Third, worry expends energy pointlessly – it doesn’t change the reality of the situation a single bit. Worry is kind of like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but doesn’t get you anywhere.

Fourth, worry ignores God’s demonstrated faithfulness in our lives. The same God who so wonderfully clothes the flowers of the field is responsible to care for them. Every blossoming flower is a reminder of God’s faithfulness to us. A field of wild flowers sprinkled across a bed of fresh spring grass is a remarkable sight indeed. These little beauties do not labor or spin (probably a reference to both men’s and women’s work respectively). But even Solomon’s wardrobe paled in comparison. If God is so generous with something as transitory as kindling for the fire, what do you suppose he will do for us? No wonder Jesus rebukes us, “O, you of little faith,” when a mere glance out our bedroom window should teach us the futility of worry. As R.H. Mounce has said, “Worry is practical atheism and an affront to God.”[1]

- This is part of a series on dependence on God. -

All people who lead others or carry organizational responsibility find more than enough reasons to worry – deadlines, financial pressures, market instability and other pressures (you fill in your own blanks here) make stomachs churn and account for many a sleepless night. But Jesus cautions us against worrying about anything – even the food we eat or the clothes we wear:

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:25-34

In this passage, Jesus gives his disciples (and us) six reasons for trusting in God rather than worrying.

First, the same God who gives us the greater gift of life will certainly supply the lesser gifts of food and clothing. In typical Jewish fashion, Jesus reasons from the greater to the lesser: If God has given us life, won’t he be faithful to give us the things that will sustain that life and make it rich and rewarding? If God can be trusted to take care of big things, can we also trust him with the small details? The answer is: of course. God never begins something he does not plan to see through to completion.

• If God can be trusted to take care of big things, can we also trust him with the small details?

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- This is part of a series on dependence on God. -

In C.S. Lewis’ Prince Caspian, a child named Lucy encounters Aslan, the Christ-figure of the Narnia stories, after not seeing him for a long while. “Aslan, you’re bigger,” she says.

“That is because you’re older, little one,” answered he.

“Not because you are?”

“I am not. But every year you grow, you will find me bigger.”[1]

The more mature in the faith we are, the bigger God will be for us. As our vision of God becomes clearer and we understand his enormity, we learn to rest in him. We grow in our ability to depend completely on him and know that with a God as competent as the God we find in the pages of Scripture, the universe in which we find ourselves is truly a safe place for us.

At least, this is as it ought to be. Reality, for far too many of us, is quite the opposite. In spite of this large and competent God who cares for us and promises to never abandon us, we often find ourselves beset by worry, anxiety and fear. It is only the most mature leader who understands that as we come to rely on God, we find rest in this world.

- This is part of a series on the theme of commitment. -

Quality relationships are founded on the rock of commitment, not the shifting sand of feelings or emotions. God calls us to be people of commitment, first to him and then to others. As a great leader of Israel, Joshua’s entire life was marked by commitment. We even hear this in his final words:

“Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

Then the people answered, “Far be it from us to forsake the Lord to serve other gods! It was the Lord our God himself who brought us and our fathers up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled. And the Lord drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites, who lived in the land. We too will serve the Lord, because he is our God.”

Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the Lord. He is a holy God; he is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins. If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, he will turn and bring disaster on you and make an end of you, after he has been good to you.”

But the people said to Joshua, “No! We will serve the Lord.”

Then Joshua said, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to serve the Lord.”

“Yes, we are witnesses,” they replied.

“Now then,” said Joshua, “throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.”

And the people said to Joshua, “We will serve the Lord our God and obey him.”

On that day Joshua made a covenant for the people, and there at Shechem he drew up for them decrees and laws. And Joshua recorded these things in the Book of the Law of God. Then he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak near the holy place of the Lord.

“See!” he said to all the people. “This stone will be a witness against us. It has heard all the words the Lord has said to us. It will be a witness against you if you are untrue to your God.”

Joshua 24:14-27

Joshua told the people that even if they chose not to serve the Lord, they would still not be exempt from service. If we do not serve the Creator, we will unavoidably serve some part of the creation. But the gods of success, position and possessions are cruel taskmasters and never deliver the profound satisfaction they promise. God alone is the worthy object of our total commitment, and if we direct our highest commitment to anything else, we commit idolatry. We were designed to serve God and to find our deepest satisfaction in him, but we will be half-hearted at best if we try to play by two sets of rules and serve two masters (Luke 16:13).

• If we do not serve the Creator, we will unavoidably serve some part of the creation.

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God of glory, in wisdom You have made the heavens and the earth, and nothing is too difficult for You. You rule over the cosmos with its hundreds of billions of galaxies and hold all things together. You created all things for your good pleasure, and the heavens proclaim Your glory, majesty and greatness. Your glory and wisdom are also manifest throughout the manifold flora and fauna of this rich, though bent, world. In spite of the transgression of the Fall and the consequent spread of sin and of death, Your redemptive work will overcome the ravages of sin. Your Word clearly reveals that no amount of human effort could conquer this alienation and bring about peace with You and with humanity. I thank You that You have paid the only price that could bring this about through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

• The heavens proclaim the Creator’s glory, majesty and greatness.

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- This is part of a series on the theme of servant leadership. -

The scene in Revelation 5 opened with John grieving deeply because it appeared that no one would be able to deal with God’s wrath against the sin of humanity, to break the seals, unveiling the mystery of the consummation of all history, and open God’s scroll of judgment: “I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside” (v. 4), wrote John. One of the elders who was present was quick to reassure the distraught apostle, however: “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals” (v. 5).

At this point John looked up and perceived the Lamb of God (John 1:29), Jesus Christ, standing in the very center of the throne room, surrounded by citizens of heaven. Jesus reached out and accepted the scroll from his Father’s hand. At that moment the four living creatures and 24 elders who were with him broke forth into a new song: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation” (v. 9).

Jesus is the Root of David, the Messiah whom God had promised to send into the world. He was willing to renounce his heavenly privilege for a time in order to come down to earth (Philippians 2:6-8) and offer himself as the atoning sacrifice for our sins (1 John 2:2). The book of Revelation provides us with a unique glimpse into the future, when Jesus Christ will reign forever as the righteous, eternal King over a renewed creation. Jesus is indeed deserving of our unqualified adoration and devotion. He is the One to whom we also can sing “a new song” every day of our lives – and we will never run out of reasons to praise him.

• Jesus is the Root of David, the Messiah whom God had promised to send into the world.

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- This is part of a series on the theme of servant leadership. -

As we have seen, while the concept of servant leadership has recently become very popular it is by no means new. Jesus required it as a foundational character trait of any who would follow him. Dr. Frank Davey has written:

Jesus reversed the social priorities of his day by demonstrating and teaching a special concern for the poor, the disabled, the outcast and the underprivileged. Such people had no special claim to attention until Jesus became their champion…. One cannot imagine Hippocrates showing much interest in a prostitute in trouble, a blind beggar, the slave of a solder of the occupying power, a psychotic foreigner clearly with no money, an old woman with a chronic spinal condition. Jesus not only did so, he expected his followers to do the same.[1]

But Jesus didn’t merely talk about serving others; he was – and is – the ultimate model of one who serves. Now, as when he walked on earth, Jesus serves those he leads.

Jesus is deserving of our complete and uninhibited worship because he is God the Son. In Revelation 5:11-12 the apostle John heard in his vision the incredible sounds of thousands of angel voices lifted together in song. The melody reached a spine-tingling crescendo and reverberated throughout the heavens: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” This angel host was soon joined by every other living creature, both in heaven and on earth, shouting out their praise: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power for ever and ever!” (v. 13).

What exactly had Jesus done to deserve this adulation?

• Now, as when he walked on earth, Jesus serves those he leads.

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