Speak To The Hand! My Faith Banner. My Jehovah Nissi

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"

so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.  Isaiah 55:11

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?

Grace and Mercy

A Mediation and Motivation for today on God's Grace and Mercy

Ephesians 2:1-10

2:1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Today's motivation will be from meditation on God's Grace and Mercy.

A Parent's Toolbox

As as parent of a teenager, 2nd grader and preschooler, I've discovered
that affirmation is a powerful tool in the parent's toolbox. In
retrospect I've also realized that I missed many opportunities to use
my affirmation tool in the early years of my teenager.


A child receives affirmation in complete subtlety; our simple nod of approval suggest acceptance and belonging. Conversely, our lack of affirmation, that simple nod for an effort put forth, never shows up subtly, but instead, usually as a defiance.

As of late, I've learned to look at every bug caught, stroke of color on a
scratch sheet of paper and give undivided attention to the little one
calling me. Using that tool of affirmation is my investment into their
self confidence. It builds their self esteem.


And with any project requiring tools for assembly and adjustments, using my tool of affirmation is never too late when the assembly has been completed, but due to time and wear and tear, my project now requires adjustments. So, as a repairman that comes with tools in hand, my goal is for a completed project, lacking in nothing. I'm encouraged to refocus, refine and restore the loss of self confidence created from missed opportunities of not utilizing my tools properly or timely.


How to affirm? Some ideas or areas to use your tools:


1. Make time to attend activities in which your child participates.
2. Acknowledge your child's effort, even if the job was not done to your liking.
3. Set time aside each day to spend with each child - even if it's only 5 minutes.
4. Enjoy something with your child that they like doing.
5. Listen to their endless talk and ask non-judging questions or interject often.