“I will bow down toward Your holy temple and will praise Your name for Your love and Your faithfulness, for You have exalted above all things Your name and Your word.”
Psalm 138:2
Many years ago at a woman’s Bible study at my church, the special guest speaker shared something that I incorporated into my life. She said that every year she would ask God for one verse from His Word that He would use in a special way to mold and change her heart. Since then, I have been asking God the same thing. Now, it’s not like He gives me a verse on January 1st every year. It may be a few months into the year before He impresses on my heart the scripture He wants me to meditate on in a special way for that year, for that season of my walk with the Lord.
For 2009, Psalm 138:2 is the verse. Especially the second part of the verse: “You have exalted above all things Your name and Your Word.” His name and His word are above all things. That truth is so awesome, humbling, assuring and convicting to me. It’s become a call to action that begins in my heart. I want to live my life that way, by His grace and strength. Above all things in my heart, my life, my marriage, my mothering, my family…above all things, before all things, behind all things…are His name and His word. He is above all. His only proper place is on the throne.
Being the orderly God that He is, this year’s verse makes so much sense after the verse He gave me for last year:
“Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to Your name be the glory, because of Your love and faithfulness.” Psalm 115:1 I love how the verse from last year (Psalm 115:1) and the verse for this year (Psalm 138:2) both talk about His “love and faithfulness”. Amazing!
Last year’s verse came with a few other verses:
“Yes, LORD, walking in the way of Your laws, we wait for You; Your name and renown are the desire of our hearts.” Isaiah 26:8
“I am the LORD; that is My name! I will not give My glory to another Isaiah…” 42:8
“For My own sake, for My own sake, I do this. How can I let Myself be defamed? I will not yield My glory to another. Isaiah 48:11 God used another godly woman speaker to wrap this up neatly with a bow. She shared that she keeps a plaque by her computer that says: “We are never more like the devil than when we want the glory”. Well, just hush my mouth. He is holy. It’s all for His honor and glory.
The first verse the Lord gave me all those years ago when I began doing this was Philippians 2:3: Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Hello….NOTHING out of selfish ambition! That is still a moment-by-moment surrender and prayer.
As I reflect back on all the Annual Verses He has given me over the years, I see His perfect design: ALL HIM. Less me.
“He must become greater; I must become less.” John 3:30
“For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen.” Romans 11:6