My Faith Banner. My Jehovah Nissi.
In the monthly devotional Journey, I was recently challenged by Beth Moore, a notable Christian author and speaker who talked of her practice of raising her hand as her shield of faith that represents her 5 statement pledge of faith. This made me think of another shield that has become quite common lately and quite possibly cultural to throw an opened hand up as if stopping traffic but often to stop an attack, attitude or other dissatisfaction coming from another person.
We all have seen the young girls with hands on their hips, jaws clenching up and down from Hubba Bubba, head cocked to one side, eyebrows arched and eyes down low. Yes, if you're old enough to remember Mel's Diner, you know the look when Mel was told, "Mel, kiss my grits." Or, maybe you're younger and you remember Martin and Gina on the Martin show holding up the well understood, "Speak to the Hand" offering.
At any rate, it was to ward off the unwanted with non verbal communication. That "speak to the hand" embodied all the commentary and attitude needed to place a shield between you and the offender. A shield of protection if you will. A silent, yet effective tool of defense.
Adopting the efficacy of this tool, Beth Moore assigns each digit on the hand a scripture for defense. The reader's challenge, my challenge was to personalize my new tool with meaningful and principle driven scriptures that would resonant in my soul and affirm my faith.
In my searching I found a name of God that had the resonance I was searching for, Jehovah Nissi, my banner- Exodus 17:15. Exodus 17:15 says that Moses built an alter after their defeat of Amalek and named it, " The Lord is my banner." Now this affirmation came centuries before me. Actually, Moses had been using the hand well before it became cliche. Scripture says that when Moses' hands grew weary they were held up by Aaron, his brother-in-law, and Hur until the going down of the sun until Amalek was defeated. Wherever Moses' hands were up Isreal prevailed and whenever Moses' hands were lowered Amalek prevailed- Exodus 17:11-13. What a wonderful use for the hand. God's Word spoke loud and clear with the use of Moses's hands.
As stated earlier, Beth Moore's 2002 model was a challenge to me as I searched for my banner with meaningful and principle driven scriptures to create my own 5 statement pledge of faith using the following model.
The 1st statement: "God is who He says He is"
The 2nd statement: "God can do what He says He can do"
The 3rd statement: "I am who God says that I am"
The 4th statement: "I can do all things through Christ"
The 5th statement: "God's Word is alive and active in me"
The Bible references that I chose to reflect on when I have to hold up the "Speak to the Hand" tool are ones that I try to practice daily. While I don't always get it right. I know that it is a process. A process in my belief, my faith and total trust in God. A process that my husband, my church family, my BSF fellowship and friends will come to me and hold my hands up when I too become weary.
Cyndy's 5 Statement Pledge with Living Words
The 1st statement: "God is who He says He is" (You shall have no other gods before me)
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Deuteronomy 6:4
"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. Matthew 22:36-38
The 2nd statement: "God can do what He says He can do"
The 3rd statement: "I am who God says that I am"
But you are a chosen race, a royal, priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. I Peter 2:9
The 4th statement: "I can do all things through Christ"
I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13
The 5th statement: "God's Word is alive and active in me"
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart Hebrews 4:12
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us. Ephesians 3:20
What will your 5 statement pledge be?
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