Let Nothing You Dismay!!

As part of our choir Christmas program this year, the men sang the first verse of “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.”  During the dress rehearsal (which turned into a wonderful worship venue for me) the words “let nothing you dismay” reverberated within my heart in a particularly powerful way.  It’s really just a different way of saying “take courage,” or “fear not,” but I think God wanted to impress the message upon me with greater clarity.

I’m reminded of Joshua, who was commanded by God not to fear or be dismayed.  He certainly had plenty of opportunity to question God and God’s ways, but in faith he forged ahead through all kinds of challenging scenarios.  And God did not leave him hanging – victories were won, precarious situations were always resolved so that God was shown as both powerful and loving.  The Bible contains seventeen verses that specifically tell me to not be dismayed.  All of them follow that command with the reminder that God is with me.

Once again, another old hymn comes to mind.  “Be not dismayed whate’er betide, God will take care of you.  Within His arms of love abide.  God will take care of you.”

God is speaking to me and addressing my heart issues.  Satan wants me to find new reasons for discouragement all the time, and I am often an easy target.  Because Jesus has come into the world, there is no reason for dismay, or fear, or discouragement, or even disappointment.  It truly IS all good.
Lord, help me to remember your commandment: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”  (Joshua 1:9)

Mighty God Everlasting Father

Isaiah 9:6  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

In the original Hebrew script of the Old Testament, there were no commas or any other punctuation.  So the translators have made their own best judgment in putting those details in.  Therefore, there could be commas between all of these items:  wonderful, counselor, mighty, God, everlasting, Father, Prince of Peace.  Or there could be no pauses at all – just one delightfully long run-on litany of praise and adoration.

I am especially in awe of  the contraposition of the phrases "Mighty God" and "Everlasting Father" in this text.   The late Bob Martin, Bible professor at Johnson University, captured this thought succinctly:   "He who is known cosmically and reverently as God is also to be known personally and lovingly as our Father in Heaven."

The very idea! -- Jesus is Mighty God, Creator of the universe, holder of all things in His hand and for His will and design;

maker of atoms and apples and ants, planets and puppies and platelets,
galaxies and guppies and gorillas,
stars and stalactites and the stratosphere,
volcanoes and violets and ultraviolet light,
waterfalls and walruses and whiskers,
rivers and rosebuds and rain, mountains and maple trees and magpies,
lilacs and lightning and lightning bugs –

this great and fearsome God of everything is also my very own Everlasting Father -- my comfort, shelter, refuge, rock, best friend, DADDY.  He hurts with me, laughs with me, loves a good joke, understands my frustrations, puts up with my tantrums, wipes away my tears in utmost sympathy and empathy, puts up with my endless complaining, guides and corrects my thoughts and actions, continually looking for the best things to give me and to pull out of me, takes pride in my very being... my Abba, my Jesus.  Oh!  What a wonderful thing to be His!