Inspired by...: Inspired by . . . Day 20: His Name, Jehovah-nissi

Inspired by . . . Day 20: His Name, Jehovah-nissi

God our banner

Jehovah-nissi

My husband is a Dreamer. Not a pie-in-the-sky dreamer, but a person who works today, with the hope of a better tomorrow. He has plans. Things he wants to do to bring more JOY into our lives. Each day he works to move one step closer to accomplishing these plans. His plans aren’t set in stone. He’s a dreamer, like I said. So the plans may change a bit, here and there, the way dreams tend to do. They morph and ebb and flow as he moves closer to achieving them. He’s open to God’s leading, He trusts God for the big picture. The dream is what gets him through the hard stuff. He keeps it firmly fixed in front of him, like a banner.

Do you have a banner? Something out it front of you that you’re working toward, that helps you get through the hard places in life? Maybe it’s your family. Each day at the office when it gets tough, you look at their picture sitting on your desk and it gives you the hope and strength you need to keep going. Or you’re stuck in traffic, so you focus on the hot, scented bubble bath that you’re going to sink into when you finally get home. Maybe you’ve got a wedding planned, or a vacation coming up. Maybe just the thought of the weekend coming, or having a few moments to yourself later today is all you need.

The Israelites needed hope when they fought the Amalekites in the desert of Rephidim. They’d been wandering around in the wilderness of Sin {oh, the irony!} without water for days. Having just been refreshed with water from the stone at Massah, they found themselves at war. The Amalekites were descendants of Esau and they hated the Israelites because of that little incident over a birthright, which you can read about in Genesis 25. You can bet that they fought just as savagely, as their descendants do today because of another birthright incident. Joshua and the Israelites needed hope for the battle.

They found it by looking to Moses and their God. During the battle, Moses stood on a high hill, with arms raised. The staff of the Lord in his hand. As long as Moses’ arms were raised, the Israelites were winning.

Ever try to stand with your arms raised above your head for very long? Moses was an old man. He grew tired and his arms grew heavy. When he put his arms down, the Amalekites gained the upper hand in the battle. So Aaron and Hur gave Moses a rock on which to sit, and they held up his arms for him. The Israelites won the battle, and Moses made an alter to the Lord.

And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, The LORD Is My Banner, saying, "A hand upon the throne of the LORD! The LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation." Exo 17:15-16

We are in a war of sorts. Every day the enemy tries to tear us down, or slip us up. Dreams and family, vacations and the weekend are all good things to look forward to, but ultimately our hope, our triumph is our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

But thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1Co 15:57

And don’t you just love Paul’s therefore:

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. 1Co 15:58

Here we are, Beloved. Our labor is not in vain. God is our banner. Jesus stands on the hill, arms raised. Nailed to a cross.

Our hope, our victory is in Him. He is the source and object of our faith.