Carolyn E. Jacobs

Growing up, I battled tremendous anxiety. My stomach would be in knots every morning before school. I was terrified that I would make a fool of myself in front of my classmates. To me, that meant anything from tripping on the playground to getting less than an A+ on an assignment. I did my best to fly under the radar, and if I got through the day without embarrassment, I considered it a win. Was that stupid? Yes. And more than a little prideful. You’ve heard the adage, “Humility isn’t thinking less of yourself; it’s thinking of yourself less.” Well, back then, I hadn’t. And I wouldn’t have understood it…

The name of God for week 21 in Ann Spangler’s Praying the Names of God for 52 Weeks is judge, shophet. What comes to mind? A fusty, crusty curmudgeon who’s all too willing to bang his gavel and declare, “Guilty?” When I was a child, that’s what I thought. I had this vague idea that God was watching me, shaking his head while cataloguing my faults on a clipboard with a pen whose red ink never ran out. Well, I was wrong. So wrong. He’s a just and merciful judge who understands our weaknesses. He took my punishment upon himself and removed my sin as far as the east is from the…

Dwell – Abide – Take Refuge Back in the ’70s, I ordered the Book of Lists on a Scholastic Book Order. I loved looking at all the lists of useless information. Windiest Cities. Longest Rivers. Stupidest Criminals. The book calls itself a compendium of curious information. If memory serves, one of the lists was the most euphonious words, words that were most pleasing to the ear. Words like golden and hush and aurora, ones that evoke a visceral response of pleasure. This week’s name of God instilled a longing, no, a yearning for what it promised. Dwelling place – refuge – shield – fortress – strong tower. What does it…

We’re in Week 20 of Ann Spangler’s Praying the Names of God for 52 Weeks. This week, it’s more of a laundry list than a name – so many good promises one name can’t contain them all. Dwelling Place – Refuge – Shield – Fortress – Strong Tower the Hebrew transliteration: Maon, Machseh, Magen, Metsuda, Migdal-Oz What wonderful promises. Two of them can be found in Psalm 91 Whoever lives under the shelter of Elyon will remain in the shadow of Shadday.  I will say to Yahweh, “You are my Machseh and my Metsuda, my Elohim in whom I trust.” – Psalm 91:1-2, Names of God version Perhaps the NASB will be more familiar – He who…

The book of Hosea paints a beautiful picture of Yahweh’s forgiveness and redemption. No, many beautiful pictures. But they don’t start out that way. When Gomer had children, Yahweh told Hosea to name one son, “Not My People” and his daughter, “Unloved.” Ouch. That’s so harsh. The names Not My People and Unloved represent judgment for the faithlessness of God’s chosen people. They chased other gods, abandoning the Husband (Ish) who loved them. But, just as the stark ugliness of the initial sketch has little resemblance to the depth and beauty of the final painting, God restores his people in the day of Jezreel. Jezreel is the name of Hosea’s…