Book Review: In My Name

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Inviting God’s holy presence in daily situations

By Marja Verschoor-Meijers

Marja Verschoor-Meijers has given us another outstanding book in her series on the Ten Commandments. In In My Name Marja speaks about the spiritual aspect behind the third Commandment, Do not use my name for evil purposes, for I, the Lord your God, will punish anyone who misuses my name Exodus 20:7 (NLT)

She examines each aspect of our relationship with God as if she were a scientist studying a specimen under a microscope. She brings out thoughts that will make anyone who reads this book stop and think about their use of God’s name.  

She brings out the thought that the Third Commandment “actually forbids the misuse of the Lord’s name or the use of the name of the Lord in vain.” I have heard Bible teachers say we are not to use God’s name casually. She carries the admonition further and gives us gives us a broader concept of how not to misuse the LORD’s Name, “unsuccessfully, to no purpose, ineffectively, with no result, fruitlessly, unproductively.”

I love the way Marja has set this book up. At the end of each chapter, she has two statements upon which the reader can meditate. She also includes space for the reader to journal his or her thoughts.

I would recommend this book to anyone who searches for a deeper understanding of God and anyone who teaches the Bible. 

This book is available in Kindle on Amazon.com Here 

Rays of Joy

What is it we know about joy?

            The prophet Isaiah described the joy of those who had been ransomed and freed as everlasting. When we have been caught in something and we are freed, we are joyous. (Isaiah 51:11)

      As David and his men returned from a victory over the Philistines, women came out in the cities of Israel singing and dancing. Their joy was so great. When we are spared from ruin we feel joy in our hearts. (1 Samuel 18:6)

            When Jesus came to earth as a baby. The angel described the news of that birth as being “good” and “of great joy.” Just think, the knowledge of God coming down to earth gives us great joy. (Luke 2:10-11)

     After Nathan told David of his sin, David wanted to “hear joy and gladness” from God. He wanted God to “restore…the joy of (God’s) salvation” God’s forgiveness does bring about joy. (Psalm 51:8, 12)

            When we have been going through trials, we can have the joy that our faith is being strengthened and will become more evident and will result when Christ comes again. An author friend equates going through those trials as suffering for Christ. (1 Peter 1:6-8)

            We have seen joy in different books of the Bible. We may have seen the joy in our world around us.  We hear good news about a friend. We receive a blessing. We get respite from the heat in the summer or from the cold in the winter.

            However, due to our humanity, we have times of anxiety and depression enter our lives. These times cause fear and uncertainty for us and for those around us.  “Weeping may tarry for the night but joy comes in the morning.” (Psalm 30:6)

            When we are emotionally down, we need to learn to look for ideas or events that bring out the joy that has gotten hidden by the negative.  That joy might be a very faint glimmer of something that brought peace to us earlier. It is those glimmers of joy that help us through the times we are burdened.

Jesus’ Compassion to the Weary

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Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me. For I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls for my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30 (ESV)

Have you ever worked hard and hoped for a good end to a circumstance? Did that project not end like you thought? Did it wear you down to where you could not function?  

 Jesus invites us all to come to him when we feel overburdened from work or anxiety. He promises to give us rest. Some weeks, I am so busy that I almost crave a day when I can hang out at home and sit around and ‘chill out.’

He tells us He is gentle. That helps when we are overwrought about issues around us. Jesus does not put on airs. He doesn’t point fingers at us when we are low. He gets down there with us and listens as we tell Him what bothers us.

Jesus also tells us we will find rest. When we do, we begin to feel better emotionally as well as physically. 

He also tells us to take His yoke on us. In olden days the farmers plowed their fields with oxen working side by side. They were connected by a yoke. Jesus wants to work side by side with us during our walk with Him, especially when we have issues plaque us. When we listen to Him, He makes the load lighter for us. 

Thank You, Jesus for your great love, the grace we don’t deserve, and mercy we truly don’t deserve during our times of complete exhaustion and dismay about issues in our lives. AMEN

Neighborly Compassion

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But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. Luke 10:33-34 (ESV)

A lawyer asked, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus told of a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. Robbers caught him off-guard and beat him, leaving him for dead. Two ‘respected’ members of society came by where the traveler lay. Each of them had their own schedules to keep. They looked at the man and hurried on about their business.

A Samaritan came upon the scene and took mercy on the befallen man. He cleaned and bandaged up his wounds.  He put the injured man on his own animal and took him to an inn that was nearby. This angel of mercy stayed with the man through the night. The next day he paid for the travelers lodging, promising to repay any further debt the injured party would incur.

Jesus then asks. “Who was the neighbor?”

In our modern world, we see people who are neighbors in the sense that they live near to us. We also may have people who live a distance away and may have backgrounds different from ours but who go the extra mile to help those in need.

Sometimes, in the movies I watch, a kind and compassionate person gets fooled by some less than honorable people by staging what looks like an accident alongside the road.

We have new neighbors. Something one of them said to my hubby didn’t set very well. Recently, they had a fire pit in their backyard. Hubby went out and offered to let them use our hose if they needed to ensure the fire would be out later. The next morning, both of our cars and our son’s car had ash all over them. Hubby got out the hose and got most of the ash off of all three cars.

Later in the afternoon, I heard knocking on our front door. The man standing outside looked like our new neighbor. It actually was his brother. He apologized for getting ash on our cars and offered to pay for their washing. I went and got Hubby and the man explained again. Hubby talked with him about the issue and finally accepted half of the amount the man offered.

This man is living next door to us temporarily. Although we didn’t expect it, he did the right thing, he was a good neighbor.   

The Father’s Willing Compassion

And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. Luke 15:20 (ESV)

In the story of the prodigal son, we have three people: The son who left home, the father who allowed him to leave, and the brother who stayed. The errant son chose to return home. The father waited for that son.

He saw the shadow of his returning son off at a distance. He ran to greet him. I picture that father shouting the son’s name as he ran. As my southern-bred grandmother would say, the father “hugged his neck” and greeted him very warmly.

The father also showed compassion to the older son when he took the time to explain that he, the elder son, had been with him but the younger son had been lost and was found. I envision the father putting his arm around the older son’s shoulders, leaning in close to him as he talked.

This is a picture of how God greets someone who has sinned or backslid and repented. God shows compassion to us when we sin and then ask for His forgiveness.

As believers in Christ, we are to display his compassion to others: to those who hurt us, to those who might forget something important to us.

I had a text conversation with a dear friend recently. She was afraid that she and I had something to do that day and that she had forgotten. This friend and I were acquainted in high school. She babysat our son about four decades ago. We have gone to the same churches for over three decades. I reassured her that in the event she ‘spaced’ something, I would not hold it against her. Because we are friends, almost like sisters. In fact, sometimes people ask us if we are sisters.

When we go to the grocery store, I try to tell the cashier and the sack person to “Be blessed.” This is my way of showing compassion to those who work hard. 

God Shows His Compassion

They remembered that God was their rock,

    the Most High God their redeemer.

But they flattered him with their mouths;

    they lied to him with their tongues.

Their heart was not steadfast toward him;

    they were not faithful to his covenant.

Yet he, being compassionate,

    atoned for their iniquity

    and did not destroy them;

he restrained his anger often

    and did not stir up all his wrath.

Psalm 78-35-38 (ESV)

Our focus passage was written by Asaph. It paints a picture of the way God reacted to His people in spite of their behavior toward Him.

They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God their redeemer.

I can visualize the Israelites flocking to the Temple on the sacred feast days. They are kneeling or lying prostrate as they pray and seek forgiveness for their sin.

 In today’s world, we see children try to get on the good side of their parents when they know they have done something wrong. And we hear children tell falsehoods in order to not get into trouble.

But they flattered Him with their mouths; they lied to Him with their tongues.

I can hear them tell God what they believe He wants to hear from them. The Israelites tell God they will always honor Him and keep His commandments. We hear this same flattery going on between generations and from those who want to exploit innocent people.

Their heart was not steadfast toward him; they were not faithful to his covenant.

How many times did the kings do “what was right in their sight”? Each time the ruler used this mode of carrying out his role, the nation Israel went through difficult times.  My Sunday teacher of many years compared it to a roller coaster ride. When the leaders followed God, the nation flourished (were on top of the hill.) When leaders did “what was right in their sight,” the nation saw times of great hardships.

Yet he, being compassionate, atoned for their iniquity and did not destroy them; he restrained his anger often and did not stir up all his wrath. 

In spite of how the Israelites behaved, God always forgave them. In the instance of their exile to Babylon, God patiently explained why it was going to happen and told them how to conduct themselves and that he knew what He had in store for them. (Jeremiah 29.)

We live in perilous times. We witness events that appear to be lifted right out of the Bible.

*Wars and rumors of war, earthquakes in many places, (Matthew 24)

*people being lovers of themselves, lovers of money, proud, arrogant,

(2 Timothy 3:2)

 * disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy. (2 Timothy 3:20)

* having the appearance of godliness but denying its power. (2 Timothy 3:5)

These are just a few of the examples of behavior we can see in our present world. We should be thankful that God has been compassionate with us. And yet, we should be aware that He is coming back soon.

God’s Compassion

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The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;

his mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22-23 (ESV)

The people of Judah had been exiled to Babylon. The entire book of Lamentations has been described as a collection of funeral dirges. Most people believe that the prophet Jeremiah wrote it.

Our focus passage speaks to me of God’s kindness toward us. His love is steadfast, always the same, never wavering or ceasing. His mercies (kindnesses) never stop. In fact, each day brings new mercies from God.

God manifests His love for us in innumerable ways. He gives us each day. He provides us with our food. He graces our lives with His presence. When we pray we are to give

The Lord waits for us to come to Him. Once we ask Him into our hearts, His door is always open, waiting for us, His children. He always listens to our concerns and needs. He pours out His love to us every time we ask.

As we returned home from a recent trip. I had a digestive accident. After I got the situation taken care of, I sat silently and prayed about my need. God listened and told me what I needed to do to discover what had caused the issue to come back into my life. He answered my prayer before we arrived home. He is so good to answer if we will just be patient and quiet and listen. He is merciful to me and to all of you.