JEHOVAH MAKKEH

BE PLIABLE IN GOD'S HANDS

The name Jehovah Makkeh means the Lord our Smiter or correcter.  Smite is defined as: to strike with a firm blow. You may be thinking, how can God smite His creation?  God is a holy God and cannot look the other way and allow sin to rule our life. Although God corrects us, we must remember along with His chastisement comes His healing, grace, and mercy.  God’s purpose is to shape and perfect us. His correction is meant for our benefit. We in turn, need to have a desire to change our thinking (repent),  be willing to surrender our life to Him, and submit to His guidance.

Psalms 51:17 says, “My [only] sacrifice [acceptable] to God is a broken spirit; A broken and contrite heart [broken with sorrow for sin, thoroughly repentant] such, O God, You will not despise.”

The psalmist is telling us the sacrifice that God desires is a heart which is broken and willing to surrender to Him.  If we are not willing to submit our will to God, so that He can mold us, our circumstances and/or satan will crush us. John 10:10 explains this, “ A thief (satan) has only one thing in mind—he wants to steal, slaughter, and destroy. But I (Jesus) have come to give you everything in abundance,  more than you expect—life in its fullness until you overflow!”

When we commit our lives to God, He begins to shape and change us into the likeness of His Son, Jesus.  He does through His Word, the guidance of Holy Spirit, and by using circumstances in our lives.

As we go through various situations and trials in our lives, God is training, teaching, strengthening,  and preparing us.

The following scripture describes God’s desire to mold us into who He created us to be.  Jeremiah 18:1-6, “The Lord gave another message to Jeremiah. He said,  “Go down to the potter’s shop, and I will speak to you there.”  So I did as he told me and found the potter working at his wheel.  But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over.  Then the Lord gave me this message: can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand.”

God is a loving Father, filled with compassion.  He takes us as we are, loves us unconditionally, and pours His grace (His divine influence) into our hearts, molding us into mighty men or women of God.   Isaiah 64:8 proclaims, “And yet, O Lord, you are our Father.    We are the clay, and you are the potter.  We all are formed by your hand.”

Father, help us to surrender all we are to You and allow You to change our heart. We are the clay and You are the Potter.