Ann Spangler has written a wonderful daily reader called Praying the Names of God. In it, she writes about the many ways in which God is named in the Bible, and then expands on their meanings and what it can mean for us. One of my favorite names for God was one I learned while reading this book: Yahweh Nissi.
This means "The Lord is My Banner." It shows up only once, in Exodus 17:15, but it's one I love. There are many wonderful meditations about what this means, but for me, the way in which I primarily think of it is as a simple declaration. If you're a regular reader, you've figured out by now that I like to visualize things out of the Bible - it helps brings certain things really home to my heart. And this is another one. I imagine myself with a large, banner arcing overhead. The words and language on the banner aren't clear (or important) in my imagining. I suppose it probably says something like, "His." Plain and simple. The point is that it is an arc overhead, a protection in its very declaration. The Lord is my banner. The Lord is the Lord of my life. I am His, and each time the enemy passes by me, he cannot help by see that I belong to the God of all. Now, perhaps on some days that is simple fuel for Satan's fire; I do not know. What I do know is that, when I remember that, I find it easier to trust. And I can stand under the banner and know that there is power in even His name. He is a banner over me, and in Him, I stand confident.
Lord, I praise Your Holy name! Thank You for standing over me and for the privilege of declaring Your name over my life! Hallelujah, Lord! You are holy and wonderful, indeed!
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