During Christmas-time it seems that just about everywhere I go, the names of God are lighting up the season. Prince of Peace! Emmanuel! Wonderful Counselor, and more!
My morning devotional spoke of Adonai, another name for God. Adonai means Lord or Master, yet also denotes that God is with us. Adonai is more than a name for God. Adonai is a word based on relationship, for God created us, first and foremost for relationship with Him.
This reminded me of Immanuel, in Hebrew. Both Mathew and Isaiah refer to Jesus as Immanuel, meaning God with us. Immanu, means “with us” and El is a Hebrew name for God. (Isaiah 7:14, 8:8 and Mathew 1:23). So the Hebrew word itself shows relationship above all else: “with us” coming first, and “El”, or Lord and master completing the word.
To know Adonai and to be completely open to Him is our first and greatest calling. We do not have to fear opening ourselves up to Him and being obedient to His word because we can trust Him.
Our Heavenly Father is not a selfish parent. He does not do what He does for selfish reasons, but rather He loves us unconditionally and unselfishly, only wanting what is best for us. So, every rule, every command, every precept, is based on His love for us and what He knows is for our good. He wants to love us and bless us richly with His peace and provision.
There are many in this world have only ever known selfish parents that do what they want- doing only what makes THEM look good, doing only what they like to do.
God, however, is a heavenly parent who sticks around when we blow it, who loves us when we’re not very lovable, who sees beyond the many messes in our lives to the beautiful message He has for us and all mankind; that Jesus came so that relationship with God could be restored.
After 800 years of the Jews not hearing anything from God-not one word through any prophet– FINALLY, after the long, arduous years of oppression, restored relationship came in the form of the helpless babe, dependent upon imperfect human beings for care and for relationship.
God’s plan to redeem mankind once and for all required human participation, as a teenage girl carried the Holy Babe for 40 weeks, and then was ushered into motherhood in a way she could’ve never expected- in a stable, with shepherds gathering around, telling how they had seen a heavenly army praising God:
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, PEACE, Goodwill towards men.”
Luke 2:14
Adonai’s work in this world- and in us- has always been, from beginning to end, based on relationship with Him, and then obedience to Him. When God reached out to a young woman with an extraordinary message, Mary responded, “May it be to me as you have said.” Another translation is, “May your word to me be fulfilled”… and He always “watches over His word to fulfill it.” (Jeremiah 1:12) When God makes a promise we can be certain it WILL come to pass.
Nothing and no one can stop God’s word. So we are wise to stay under His protection and walk in His blessings as His word is fulfilled. JOYFUL obedience comes as we rebuke fear in the name of JESUS (fear is a spirit that must be cast off) and speak, out loud, our confidence in the Lord God on high; knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that His ways are meant to give us hope and a future. (Philippians 1:6, Jeremiah 29:11)
Still today, God is reaching out to humankind with an extraordinary message: He loves us and desires us to know His goodness and His self sacrificing love to the fullest. We live our best lives when He lives in and through us. If we respond to God’s extraordinary invitation like Mary, and say, “May your word to me be fulfilled”, we too will receive the healing presence of the Lord God on High into our lives.
Once relationship with Adonai is restored, He will then be Lord as we dig into His Word and seek out His promises for those who love and obey Him. As we read the Word and DO what He says, His promises to us begin to be fulfilled. Nothing is impossible with God! Just think of the miracle of a Holy Babe, born to set us all free! (Mathew 19:26 and Luke 1:37)
Now, Adonai does want to work through those who love and believe Him to shine His light into this hurting world, but His light and His love is for us too. Service comes out of the overflow of relationship with Him! Oh, how He longs to lavish his love on us, “if only” we would allow Him too.
Isaiah 1:19 (TLB) says, “If only you will let Me help you…”
Isaiah 7:14 follows up with this (the context is urging King Ahaz to obey God’s word):
You want a sign to convince you that God has spoken and will keep His word? “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”
Immanu which means With US, and El, God. God WITH us. We are not alone in this life. Not unless we choose to be.
King Ahaz doubted God, and went his own way, leading the Hebrews far away from God’s protection-and the results were disastrous for the Kingdom of Judah. We, too, get off course and need the Word to bring us back into the safe and loving protection of our generous and forgiving Adonai. He already sent His son to pay the price for every mistake we’ve ever made, every way we still fall so short. Immanuel was born for this! He did it willingly, so we can have a restored relationship with Him, despite our many imperfections.
The first step to restored relationship is asking Adonai to be your personal Lord and Master. Steps two through two million have to do with Trusting Him and doing what He says. We can go our own way and do our own thing but when we step out of His protection we, like Ahab, bring trouble upon ourselves.
My pastor says “You have to obey God at the level you are at. You have to read the word and do what it says.”
We will never know peace until we know Him as both Savior and Lord.
In the Septuagint (LXX)Adonai (and Jehovah) are translated with the same Greek noun kurios which signifies sovereign power, supreme authority, absolute ownership. In the NT, Jesus is referred to more than 20 times as Savior (soter) and over 700 times as Lord (kurios)! When the two titles are mentioned together, Lord always precedes Savior.
Lordship- or following His ways and obeying His word, must come first. Only when we fully trust Him with our lives does He have our full agreement with His desire to save us. He won’t force us, He simply invites us to wellness and wholeness and a full life. Trust Him, and find that He is trustworthy!
Prayer-
Father God,
I know I have gone my own way, given in to urges that are not what is for my wellness and wholeness. I now ask you to be Lord of my life. Take the wheel, and guide me. I choose to trust that your ways are for my best.
Reveal to me everything that is not in line with your plans and purposes for me and give me the strength to make the changes necessary to walk under Your protection.
Thank you Lord for saving me.
Amen