Denise Fawcett Facey
|
Articles from Previous Months
Stepping Out in Faith (30.0KB)
January 2012
Celebrating Christ (32.0KB)
December 2011
In God's Will (32.5KB)
November 2011
Stand Firm (32.5KB)
October 2011
The Gift of the Present (31.0KB)
-210.jpg)
September 2011
Everyday Treasures (29.5KB)
August 2011
Living by the Numbers (26.5KB)
July 2011
The Weapon of Kindness (30.5KB)
June 2011
The Power of Friendship (31.0KB)
May 2011
What Do You Do? (30.0KB)
April 2011
Walking on Water (31.5KB)
March 2011
Living Love (31.0KB)
February 2011
New Beginnings (30.5KB)
January 2011
The Wonder of Christmas (30.0KB)
December 2010
Counting Pain Among the Blessings (33.0KB)
November 2010
The Secret of Contentment (31.0KB)
October 2010
After the Loss (32.0KB)
September 2010
What Do You Give? (30.0KB)
August 2010
Rekindling the Fire (31.5KB)
July 2010
Understanding Martha (30.5KB)
June 2010
God's Plan (31.0KB)
May 2010
I Hope So (31.5KB)
April 2010
Rejoice! (31.5KB)
March 2010
Winter's Blessings (31.0KB)
February 2010
Making Resolutions (28.5KB)
January 2010
All articles are copyrighted. All rights reserved. |
Just Between You and Me . . . February 2012
“Oh, my God, I’m running late!” “Oh, my God, what a mess!” “Oh, my God, how beautiful!” Such a commonplace phrase that it’s now often written simply as OMG, “Oh, my God” serves as a stand-in for everything from “wow” to “oh no” to “this is incredible.” With it, people express dismay one moment and pleasure the next, tone of voice saying it all. As ubiquitous as LOL, OMG is everywhere in the social world of texting, tweeting and Facebook commenting. Yet, this casual reference to God actually has nothing to do with Him at all. And that’s the problem. It’s just a mindless exclamation. In fact, sometimes it’s spoken almost as an expletive. But what if we began to use this phrase to speak only of God or to God? What if we were to speak it with awe and reverence, addressing God in a personal way? How very different this simple phrase would become. Upon viewing a glorious sunset or gorgeous trees in spring blossom or the exquisite wonder of a newborn baby, “Oh my God” gives honor to the eminence of God. Uttered quietly at such times, “Oh, my God” bespeaks the pure emotions of the heart. His miraculous ability to create immeasurable beauty is conveyed in these three small words and even our souls recognize that "The Lord our God has shown us his glory and his majesty” (Deuteronomy 5:24). Likewise, in times of distress, tragedy or grief, “Oh, my God” is the briefest prayer that so very clearly reveals the depth of fear, pain or loss. Spoken directly to the Lord, the words reflect the longing of the heart as it seeks the comfort only the Lord can provide. Simply put, this time, the phrase demonstrates the understanding that “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1) When not spoken carelessly, “Oh, my God” truly is a phrase of profound splendor. Viewed from this perspective, it’s hard to go back to thoughtlessly hurling the phrase around, isn’t it? Well, Scripture tells us “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth" (John 4:24). What an easy and pure form of worship it is to speak those three words aloud, sincerely expressing heartfelt emotion to the Lord. Admittedly, this is not even a phrase that I use. Tending to think of it as taking the Lord’s name in vain, I’ve shied away from saying or writing it. But it may be time to re-think this stance. Perhaps it’s time to make “Oh, my God” my daily prayer. Maybe it’s time to seek the Lord’s presence in everyday encounters and to acknowledge His presence with those small words, spoken in true reverence: Oh, my God! Speaking that phrase, we commune with God, one-to-one. Simultaneously, we proclaim Him as “our God” as we speak the words in the presence of others. That’s worship! So, let’s think about what we say. Since “from the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks,” (Matthew 12:34) let’s be sure that we speak the name of God with love overflowing our hearts, with the awe and homage He so richly deserves. Because, one day, “every knee will bow . . . and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11). Then we’ll all say “Oh, my God!” in the ultimate worship and praise. Your Comments on "OMG!" February 2012 Click and type in a question or comment I learned at a very young age not to use God's name in vain, so I too shy away from using those three words. It's time to rethink that decision, and give God the reverance he deserves. Making "Oh, my God" a prayer instead of an exclamation gives me something to think about. I don't usually say it at all, but I like the idea of consciously using these words to speak to the Lord. You are so right that "Oh,my God" is used too loosely. Thanks so much for making us consciously aware of this misdeed. It is so easy to fall prey to habits without thinking. Your Comments on "Stepping Out in Faith," January 2012 Faith....... Let's trust God and move forward no matter what people say or what they think. This is the year to take heed to Proverbs 3:5, Proverbs 16:9,Hebrews 13:6 and Herbrews 11:6. Fear is such a hindrance to so many things in life. This year I want to move beyond it so that I can live in the fullness of the life the Lord has planned for me. You are so right fear, apprehension and the unknown keep us bound. Without that leap of faith and trusting God with everything, we will stay in bondage forever. |
|