A PILLAR, A SHIELD, and A NEW NAME
How quickly
things change.
Tuesday, we
buried my friend, my sister in Christ, my worship ministry partner, a person I
greatly loved and admired. And the thing is, everybody felt the same way I did
about her. She loved everyone, and everyone loved her. When Kim left this
earth, she left a hole in our hearts and a vacancy in our church that only God
can fill.
But this
morning, as I was reminiscing, praying, and thinking about how to begin
August’s newsletter, the LORD gave me a word – PILLAR – and the phrase, “…a
pillar in the temple of My God….”[1] I felt Jesus say to my heart, “Kim is one of
My pillars. She shall go out no more. I have written My new name on her and the
name of My city – the New Jerusalem.”
Tears escaped
and wet my cheeks—tears of happiness for her—and tears of sadness for me and
for those who miss her. Kim is seeing our God face to face, something she had
longed to do since she met Him. He is keeping her close to His heart because
that’s where she’s been pretty much all her earthly life. I believe Kim stands
tall, strong, and immovable in His court—singing His praises with perfection
and encouraging all who enter.
But through my
tears, another “pillar” Scripture jumped off the page and into my heart. It’s
not the same word or meaning, but with this addition, my LORD comforted me,
answered prayer, and began to write the newsletter. Only God could take two
passages of Scripture—one from the New Testament and one from the Old—and, in a split
second of time—accomplish three things. O LORD my God—how Holy You
are.
Earlier I had asked
several times for the newsletter’s opening and the words to write—yet nothing
came. But after reading Exodus 13, I knew. God’s tenth plague had just hit
Egypt. In the middle of the night, Pharoah released Israel and Moses rushed
them out. They had not packed provisions, and bread dough remained in bowls,
unleavened. Wrapping their bowls with aprons, Israel headed for the Promised
Land.
But God didn’t
lead them on the normal road back to Canaan. Instead, he led them by way of the
wilderness—hot, barren, desolate land with few oases. Goshen, Egypt had
abundant food and water and being slaves for 400 years, these people had no
idea how to take care of themselves in the wilderness.
Yet the LORD knew this and desired Israel to depend on Him. He understood their needs, abilities, what He wanted to accomplish, AND how He would do it. The Almighty Himself would Shepherd Israel. The Most High God went before them “…by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light….”[2]
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But did the
cloud and pillar provide only direction and light?
“No,” the LORD
taught. “Such a phenomenon would shield
Israel from hostile locals. And the pillar of fire deterred wild animals
looking for an easy meal.” All because, as the LORD God showed me, He “…is a
sun AND shield….”[3]
David sang, “But
You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my
glory and the One who lifts up my head…You, O Lord, will bless the righteous;
with favor You will surround him as with a shield.[4]
What a glorious
thought to hold when traveling through our own wilderness! Knowing our SHIELD, Who is our Pillar of Cloud
and Fire,
directs our steps and gives light to our path [5] comforts us. And when we take our final breath, having overcome by remaining
faithful to our Lord Jesus Christ—He makes us, like Kim, a pillar in His
temple. He will write on us the name of God, the name of the New Jerusalem, and
His new name
that no one knows except Himself.[6]
Halleluia!
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