Week 4: September 25th - 30th

The supplies you will need each week: Your Bible, a pencil or pen with notebook, a candle with lighter, and comfortable place to relax and absorb God’s word. I will be providing the Welcome, Devotional Reading/Poem, the “REVEALED” Bible Study for the week, the words to any songs listed in program, and Closing Benediction weekly via email on Thursday afternoon.

The format is set up if you gather in a small group; change the format if you are doing it by yourself (see * areas).

WEEK FOUR

*Welcome as God offers help for today and hope for the future. Come as you are and enter this time with God as His name is “REVEALED”.

*Devotional Reading: Psalm 27

*The Lord’s Prayer 

Reading of UMW Purpose (If you would like more information on United Methodist Women please email me.)

*Lighting of the Candle and Breath Prayer:

                                                                Spirit of God, Breathe on me.
                                                    Spirit of God, Pour out Your presence on me.
                                              Spirit of God, Speak through Your word to me. AMEN.

 

*Reading the Bible Study “REVEALED” and looking items up in your Bible. If in a group setting allow 15 minutes for quiet reflective time and individual Prayer of Discernment before any discussion begins.

*Prayer of Discernment to God on what you read. Ask God for his guidance on what you just read. Write your questions down if something needs further clarity or more prayer.   

 

Each week a New name will be “Revealed” 

*A short reading on the Name of God Revealed.

*A few Bible verses that use the Name of God Revealed.

*Grab your Bible and look up the verses then ask God daily to reveal Himself as the name which you are studying and finally keep a small journal to record how God has revealed Himself in that way.  

*Finally, share with someone how God has revealed Himself to you in the name you are studying.

 

Let Us Get Started:

Week 4: El Channun (Gracious God)

 

The word Channun aka Hebrew transliteration for ‘gracious’ occurs 13 times in scriptures. It is an adjective only used as an attribute of God and derived from the root word ‘chanan’.

 Definition for ‘Chanan’ is to beseech, to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior, to favor, bestow, and in relations to God, as one who is the bestowal of favor and usually in the bestowal of redemption from enemies, evils and sins.

Exodus 34:6“And the LORD passed by before him (Moses), and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, MERCIFUL and GRACIOUS, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth “. 

 

Think About this:  One of the major themes in Scripture is the GRACE of the LORD God [ EL CHANNUN]. Many times, you will see MERCY and GRACE together in describing the nature of God. In the Exodus passage above the LORD God passes by Moses declaring His attributes. This is comforting to Moses because this incident happens right after the great sin of the worshiping of the golden calf. Moses was distraught and concerned that the children of Israel would never see the Mercy and Grace of God again. God reveals to Moses that He is: “…The LORD God, MERCIFUL and GRACIOUS, Long-suffering, and Abundant in Goodness and Truth…”. You may have also experienced times of failure where you have wondered if you have crossed the line. I assure you that if you care at all, it is a sign that you have not. You still have a conscience and are hearing the voice of the Compassionate, Loving, Merciful and Gracious God. However, let us all be encouraged to confess all sin before our Gracious God and turn from sin in every area of our lives.

 

Jonah 4:2 “And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore, I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a GRACIOUS God [EL CHANNUN], and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.” 

 

 Think About this: Jonah is well known for disobeying God and ending up in the belly of a fish for 3 days.  But Jonah's story teaches us more than the consequences of disobedience; it teaches us about our tendency toward judgement and God's tendencies toward Grace!  In the 1st chapter of Jonah, God tells Jonah to go to Nineveh and tell the people that God will soon overthrow them for their evil deeds.  Jonah flees in the opposite direction, which is how he ends up in the bell of the fish.  In chapter 3, God again tells Jonah to go to Nineveh, and this time Jonah obeys.  He tells the people that God's judgement is about to come upon them, and the people respond by fasting and praying to the Lord.  God sees their repentance and forgives them.  Jonah shouts at God " I knew you were El Channun - Gracious God - which is why I ran in the opposite direction in the first place.  He cannot hide his anger and indignation.  The Ninevites deserved punishment.  At the Lord's command Jonah told them they would receive punishment.  And here God was letting them off the hook!  Jonah's argument is almost comical: Why do you have to be gracious and merciful?  Why do you have to be slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love? Why can't you just bring disaster upon those who deserve it?

El Channun does not punish Nineveh, and He does not punish Jonah for his temper tantrum either.  Gracious, He reminds Jonah who made the trees, the sun, the wind, and the people, and therefore who has the right to judge and the right to show grace.

Read and Meditate on these Scriptures that Reveal God as El Channun:

Exodus 22:27, Nehemiah 9:31, 1 Peter 5:10-11, 2 Chronicles 30:9, Psalm 86:15

 

*Read the words or sing along to the song “This Is My Father’s World “. Reflect on the words; take quiet time understand the meaning of the hymn. As God’s name was “REVEALED” to you the past four weeks did your eyes open to up to His wonderous works around you? Have you listened more intently to hear His voice as you pray? Write down your reaction to review for further clarity or more prayer. 

 

Song: This Is My Father's World

This is my father's world
And to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings
The music of the spheres

This is my father's world
I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas
His hand the wonders wrought.

This is my father's world

The birds their carols raise
The morning light, the lily white
Declare their maker's praise

This is my father's world
He shines in all that's fair
In the rustling grass, I hear him pass
He speaks to me everywhere.

This is my father's world
Oh, let me never forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong
God is the ruler yet

This my father’s world

Why should my heart be sad
The Lord is king, let the heavens ring
God reigns, let the earth be glad.

 

*Closing Benediction: “Make every effort to preserve the unity the Spirit has already created, with peace binding you together.” (Ephesians 4:3)

Through the power of the Holy Spirit that dwells in us through our belief in Jesus, our Lord and Savior, inspire our hearts to seek You in Your Word daily. Grow us both individually and together, as we seek the peace of Your presence. Help us to walk faithfully and fiercely after Christ, reflecting His love. May we always lift our progress up to You, who holds the honor and glory for who we are and what we do. Use our lives, Lord, to reach those who desperately need to know You love them. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

*CLOSE YOUE EYES for 5-10 minutes and feel the love of each of your sisters in Christ wrapping their loving arms around you virtually. You are beautiful and one of a kind -YOU ARE GOD’S MASTERPIECE. 

*Blow your candle out to end your quiet journey with God and your Christian sisters. God bless you until we meet again! 

*For questions, comments, concerns, or for more information regarding this portion of the mini Bible study/program or the lessons themselves, please send an email to Norma Link-Boughman at chain51965@yahoo.com.