A devotional exploration by one Christian woman of the 99 beautiful names of Allah.
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things" (Philippians 4:8).
I have been thinking a lot about the Beatitudes, as our church has been studying the Sermon on the Mount, and I have the privelege of preaching the review and summary of that topic this Monday.
The Favor of God
Blessed are the poor in spirit
For the Kingdom of heaven is theirs
Blessed are the ones who are weeping in grief
God will wipe up their tears and give comfort and strength
The favor of God will rest upon you
When you are desperate, don't know what to do
With nowhere to turn, at the end of your rope--
Let God be the one who brings comfort and hope.
Blessed are the meek and gentle
For they will inherit the land.
Blessed are the ones who long to be righteous
With their longing fulfilled, in the light they will stand.
The favor of God will rest upon you
When you hunger and thirst to be righteous and true
When you don't real and clamor for all that you're due
Then the blessing of God will settle on you.
Blessed are the ones who show mercy
For they will have mercy shown them.
Blessed are the ones whose love for God is pure
They'll recognize God for certain and sure.
The favor of God will rest upon you
When your hands and your heart are both open to do
The things that are needed by all those around
Then the blessings of God will surely abound.
Blessed are the ones who reach out to make peace
They'll be known as God's children and grace will increase.
This calligraphy is from vecteezy.com. I selected it because it makes me think of a pearl, and I think that the wisdom contained in this name for God is a "pearl of great price."
The idea that God limits us, or even withholds things from us sounds impossible to many evangelical Christians today. We hear the "prosperity Gospel" preached. However, as our story goes, even in the Garden of Eden, God started out by putting limits on His creations. "The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die." (Genesis 2:15-17 NIV)
The logic of this name is that there are times when God sets limits on us, even withholds good things from us, and that the wise person accepts these limitations from God. Not all limitations are forever. Paired with this name is the next one on the list-- God limits, but God also expands.
Jesus taught that one of the routes to receiving more responsibility is to be faithful in whatever little responsibility you have been given. He told the story of a king who doled out different gifts to those in his employ. They got different amounts of money and they were responsible for investing them. Two did well and got rewarded by being put in charge of several cities. The praise for those who did well was, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share in your master's happiness!" (Matthew 25:23 NIV). The story also tells of the one who was not faithful in what had been given him, but that's not really what I'm thinking of here.
I think it's important to recognize, as this name does, that one of the things God does is to set limits on us. Some of the limitations are due to lack of resources, whether in abilities or material assets. Some are because we are told not to do certain things. As I thought about it, I wanted to proclaim, "The limits you give us, the limits you give me, are good."
Limited
You're unlimited, but You limit us
And the limits You give us are good
Don't you go lusting after your neighbor's spouse.
Don't you hunger and thirst for their lands or their house.
I guess when I think of omniscience, the image that springs to mind, willy-nilly, is a microscope. But God is not peering down at us from the sky like some sort of cosmic scientist. Instead, God just knows, intimately and in detail, all of Creation from the inside out. The marvel is that God not only knows, but loves. I have a song about that, written quite some time ago.
My desire with this blog, however, is not just to dredge up pertinent thoughts from the past, but to ponder anew what it means to call God omniscient.
With many of the names, reading through the Quranic uses of the name is not terribly helpful. The names are used just once and the verse does not shed much light on the meaning. This name is different. There are several usages, and I was struck by several things. Some of the verses were about God being aware of good deeds.
"You shall not attain righteousness until you spend out of what you love (in the way of Allah). Allah knows whatever you spend." (Surah 3:92, Abul Ala Maududi)
"And if any one obeyeth his own impulse to good, – be sure that Allah is He Who recogniseth and knoweth." (Surah 2:158b, Yusuf Ali)
This is in contrast to the popular Christian idea of the all-knowing aspect of God being primarily something to be feared, as though God is a cosmic version of the "elf on the shelf", as in the song for little kids "Oh be careful little hands what you do...For the Father up above is looking down in love, so be careful little hands what you do." I suppose that song could be understood as meaning that we should do good things because God will see and recognize those good things. But I've always heard it, despite the aspect of "looking down in love" as "Don't be naughty–God is watching."
The surah that I particularly enjoy in connection with this name is Surah 24:41. In the Clear Quran it reads:
"Do you not realize that God is glorified by whatever is in the heavens and the earth, and even by the birds in formation? Each knows its prayer and its manner of praise. God knows well what they do."
I love this picture of the birds praising God, and of God being fully aware of that praise, either of their formation, or as other translations have it of each wing being stretched out in praise.
It makes me think of Jesus saying that God knows every sparrow that falls and that the hairs on our head are numbered. God is fully of all that goes on in this vast universe, a degree of omniscience that is beyond our ability to comprehend, but that is wonderful nonetheless. I am reminded of one time when I saw myself from the perspective of the Infinite God as being like a little dust mote shuttling back and forth, and instantly heard in my heart, "beloved dust mote." We are minute in the vast universe but that does not mean that we are not individually known and loved.
I selected this image because to me it suggests the richness of possibilities that are opened by God.
The Islamic understanding of this name is a bit puzzling to me. It occurs only once in the Quran, 34:26, and in all of the translations I have seen, the name that in almost all of the lists of the name is translated "The Opener", is translated in this surah as the "Judge".
Say, "Our Lord will bring us together; then He will judge between us in truth. And He is the Knowing Judge." (Sahih International)
Say, "Our Lord will bring us together; then He will judge between us equitably. He is the All-Knowing Judge." (ClearQuran)
The best sense I can make of this is that the sense is that God will judge in this situation by opening up the truth of what is going on between the two groups that are in conflict.
In the book of Revelation, Jesus identifies himself in the vision given to John, "These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open...See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. (Revelation 3:7-8 NIV).
What is it that God opens up for us? Well, clearly for Christians, Jesus' death on the cross opens up the door to salvation. The Muslim meditations on this name talk about God opening up understanding, opening up provisions, opening up truth.
This is what I came up with as I pondered this name and God's role as the Opener in my life.
The Arabic calligraphy here is from vecteezy.com. I liked it because of the playful colors, which speak to me of the many varied and surprising ways that God, the Provider, provides for us.
This name is (though not the sound of it) is comfortable for enjoyers of contemporary Christian music. Jehovah Jireh, My Provider is for many of us a familiar song. In fact, when I got to looking, I found several songs that focus on the Hebrew Jireh, meaning provider.
I have my own song along these lines, written long ago. This tells the story of Abraham, at the time when he was called to sacrifice Isaac (or Ishmael according to Islamic teaching). God stopped him from doing it at the last minute and provided a ram caught by his horns in a thicket for Abraham to sacrifice instead of his son. There have been two occasions in my life when I felt like I had to hold something dear to my heart loosely, in case God would require me to lay it down, times when I felt I was identifying with Abraham. The first time came when I was waiting for my husband-to-be to propose. The second time came as I was considering going to seminary. This song grew out of those times.
On the Mountain of the Lord
On the mountain of the Lord
It will be provided
All that You want me to give
On the mountain of the Lord
It will be provided
The strength and the courage to live.
I'll go walking up that mountain
With my hopes and my dreams in my hand.
I'll go walking up that mountain
Knowing You will allow me to stand.
Isaac was Abraham's deep delight,
A hope that was too good to lose
And God spoke to Abraham in the night
Saying, "Come to the mountain I choose.
Will you lay down your son there?
Will you hand the child over to me?
Will you give up his life there,
As a sign that you're trusting in me?
Abraham left for the mountain that day
Leading his son by the hand.
I think tears filled his eyes as he tried to pray,
As he watched his dreams crumble to sand.
He took wood and he took fire,
And he carefully guarded the knife.
And he wondered how he'd do it.
Would you ask him to take his son's life?
Abraham knew that he had to do it –
Whatever You asked him to do.
And somehow he knew You would see him through it
And still make Your promises true.
He bound Isaac to the altar
He was ready to go all the way.
And then You sent an angel.
You provided the ram there that day.
Now by faith, we're the children of Abraham.
And sometimes we'll walk in his shoes.
I believe there are times
We will hear Your voice calling
To come to the mountain You choose
To lay down there what we cherish
Without knowing just what we'll get back.
We must trust that You are faithful
And that You will supply every lack.
On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided
All that You want me to give
On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided
The strength and the courage to live
I'll go walking up that mountain
with my hopes and my dreams in my hand
I'll go walking up that mountain
Knowing You will allow me to stand.
As I read about this name on the My Islam website, I was struck by the distinction that they made between the action of God as the Giver, and the action of God as Provider. They explained that while gifts are free, provision requires action on our part, whether the action of work for physical provisions, or prayer for spiritual provision. I was reminded of God's provision of manna, and how the people had to gather it and prepare it and follow the rules (gather more the day before Sabbath).
I was reminded of the words of a friend of mine, who in teaching gratitude, likes to say that the universe (or God) has always provided all that he truly needed (though not always all that he wanted). He likes to say that he knows that because he is still here, he is still breathing.
I am disheartened this morning because of the political situation in the United States. Hard times are ahead. I am reminded of several verses in the Bible.
"Even in times of trouble we have a joyful confidence, knowing that our pressures will develop in us patient endurance. And patient endurance will refine our character, and proven character leads us back to hope. And this hope is not a disappointing fantasy, because we can now experience the endless love of God cascading into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who lives in us." Romans 5:3-5 (TPT).
"My fellow believers, when it seems as though you are facing nothing but difficulties, see it as an invaluable opportunity to experience the greatest joy that you can! For you know that when your faith is tested it stirs up in you the power of endurance. And then as your endurance grows even stronger, it will release perfection into every part of your being until there is nothing missing and nothing lacking." James 1:3-4 (TPT)›
Provider
You have always provided
All that I need
I know that because I am breathing.
Through sorrow and joy
You have cared for us all
Through winter and summer and springtime and fall.
You have been there.
You surround us with care
Through hardship and even disaster.
Through rich times and poor times
You hold out Your hand.
And through trials our faith will grow faster.
You have always provided
All that we need
We know that because we are breathing.
Through sorrow and joy
You have cared for us all
Through winter and summer and springtime and fall.
This image is made from components taken from vecteezy.com. I wanted to display the bounty of the concept of Al-Wahhab, the Giver
When people think of God as a giver, and think of actually praying for specific things, this is sometimes derided as reducing God to a heavenly vending machine. You pop in prayer, and he pops out stuff, and if the stuff doesn't arrive, then maybe it's a stuck vending machine, or you didn't add enough faith or something like that.
We think of the old Janis Joplin song, "O God, won't you buy me a Mercedes-Benz? My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends. O God, won't you buy me a Mercedes-Benz?" And we are (rightfully, I think) scornful of the materialism derided in that song. But it is not the case that the only good prayers are exclusively spiritual. We are commanded to ask for our daily bread. And Jesus expected tax money to be given to him, and provided miraculous catches of fish.
When I started meditating on some of these scriptures, I was startled to find that the verse I was familiar with as "Every good and perfect gift is from above..." was actually about giving as well as gifts. In time, that yielded a song.
"All generous giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or the slightest hint of change. By his sovereign plan he gave us birth through the message. of truth, that we would be a kind of first fruits of all creation." (James 1:17-8 NET)
“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone?Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:9-11 NIV)
“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:11-13 NIV)
All Good Gifts
All good gifts and all good giving
Come down from the Father of lights
All good gifts and all good giving
Come down from the Father of lights.
He gave us new birth by the word of his truth
So we could be first fruits of all creation
First fruits are his; they are given to God
He gave us as gifts to himself.
All good gifts and all good giving
Come down from the Father of lights
All good gifts and all good giving
Come down from the Father of lights.
If you who are evil know how to give
Good gifts to the kids you adore.
How much more will your Heavenly Father
Give to his children so much more?
All good gifts and all good giving
Come down from the Father of lights
All good gifts and all good giving
Come down from the Father of lights.
If your child asks for bread, you won't give them a stone
This picture is taken straight from vecteezy.com but the austere gold and black seemed appropriate to the meanings of this word.
Grappling with this name has been a struggle that has taken months. I set myself a goal of a new name each week, and now months have gone by since my last post. That has not all been getting busy with other aspects of my life, but wrestling with what to do with this name in a Christian context.
The root of this word is ق ه ر and according to the myislam.com website, it has root meanings which include to subjugate, to overpower, to compel against one's wishes. Two names al-Qaahhar and al-Qaahhir are based on this word, and of the two, al-Qaahhar is the most emphatic. So this emphasizes the idea that God is completely overpowering. Basically, that if you try to fight against God, you haven't got a chance.
Jacob did wrestle against God (or at least against the angel of God and "prevailed" and thereby won the approving name Israel. Genesis 32:28 NIV "Then the man said, 'Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome." Jacob calls the place where he fought, Peniel, "It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared." (Genesis 32:30).
I think no one questions that God had the power to quash Jacob in this encounter. He did dislocate his hip. God allowed him to win, and blessed his endeavor.
Still, as Christians, we believe that God has said, "As surely as I live, every tongue will acknowledge God" (Romans 14:11 quoting Isaiah 45:23). Isaiah 45:24 goes on to say that "Every tongue that has raged against him (clearly God in context) will come to him and be put to shame." All of which makes it seem to me that there will be a time when God will compel assent to Himself. We also have the similar statement in Philippians God gave Jesus "the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:8-11)
I must acknowledge that God is not always "a gentleman, who will not force me against my will" (as some popular sayings suggest that He is.)
Still, when will that day of God's forcefulness come? In the book of 2 Peter, we read that, "in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, 'Where is this 'coming' he promised. Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation. (2 Peter 3:3-4 NIV). The author goes on to say, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9 NIV). In other words, the day will when God will come as the Irresistible, the Prevailer, when God forces everyone to submit, whether they want to or not--but God is in no hurry to get there. He would rather draw us patiently into submitting willingly to his rule.
As I considered this name, I was also strongly reminded about the story of Jesus calming the winds and waves of the storm. (Mark 4:35-41 and Luke 8:22-25). In both tellings of the story, the disciples are amazed. "Who is this, that even the winds and waves obey him?" Why is this so amazing to them? I think when people are healed or delivered there is always some lingering doubt that perhaps this is merely a psychological phenomenon. Not that it is totally a placebo effect, but maybe when the human spirit is set right with God, then the body can heal itself. But the winds and the waves? No. They are purely physical. It takes someone special to control them. And that someone was Jesus.
So where do I find myself in the midst of these considerations? Right now, I am struggling with what I suppose I must acknowledge has become an addiction to computer games. Challenged to lay them aside for a season, my own selfish desires are rising up like a storm of winds and waves in my soul. I haven't yielded yet, but it's been an awfully near thing. And I found myself singing, "O Subduer, come subdue me." And perhaps I am getting a glimpse of what devout Muslims understand to be the "greater jihaad" the struggle against evil in ourselves.
Al-Qaahhar
I have no question, not a shred of doubt.
If we fight against You can take us all out.
Just a flick of Your finger, a puff of Your breath
We'd be flat on the floor at the gateway of death.
You've got the power, You've got the might.
You could wipe out our wills with a flash of Your light –
But You don't.
You wait
You are longing for folks to come in
To acknowledge your Kingship,
and turn from our sin.
To be rescued from death and be blessed with Your life
