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My God is the God Who . . . by Denise Velte
When I started my Bible reading plan this year (reading from Genesis to Revelation), I got to Day 4 and was reading Genesis 14-16. I read words that I have read many times before, but because the Bible is “living and active” it is always new and fresh! There is always more to learn! Always another layer to peel away! Always new application because I am always needing to be taught, corrected, rebuked, or trained in righteousness! So there I was on Day 4 reading about this terrible dissension between Sarai (married to Abram) and her maidservant Hagar. Hagar had fled from Sarai after being severely mistreated by her. Hagar then had an encounter with God, and I read these words: “She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” Gen. 16:13
I read those words in Gen. 16:13, and then stopped. I went back and read them again, and again. Then I began to meditate on just exactly what it means to know that God is “the God who sees me.” Certainly it was no surprise to me to know that God is omniscient—he sees all—there is nothing that escapes Him. But for some reason it kind of stopped me in my tracks when I read those words “You are the God who sees me.” Why? How did that knowledge make me feel? Ashamed? Encouraged? Was this good news or bad news? Do I want God to see me, or do I want to be able to become invisible? How would you answer those questions?
There might be some who would say they would prefer to stay out of the sight of God, but can I suggest that maybe they don’t know the God that they desire to hide from. I think the more that we study the character of God, the attributes of God, the names of God, the more head-over-heels in love with Him we become.
Since Day 4 in my Bible reading plan I have been jotting down what God has been revealing to me about Himself. (As of this writing I am reading in the Psalms, so I look forward to all that He is yet to show me!) Here are just a few (I encourage you to dwell on each one and how it might impact your relationship with Him):
My God is the God who is:
I also started noticing how often God is referred to with personal pronouns–“my” God (133x), “your” God (480x), “our” God (205x), “his” God (56x); their God (80x). These are just a few of the relational terms. How about words like “Father”; “friend”; “brother” “bridegroom”–those are all terms that define a relationship. Can you hear His heart for relationship with you, for intimacy? I encourage you to read His love letter to you, again and again and again, and never stop falling in love with . . . the God who is the God who alone is worthy!
Staff Happenings
Offices
We’ve been a little “scattered” over the past 6 months. Not “scattered” in the sense of not knowing what we’re doing, but “scattered” in the sense of everyone not having permanent offices since we sold our church property at Clear Ridge. Steve, Bobbi, and Denise have had offices at the Farmhouse on Watson Lane since September. But Tim, Dave, and Pete have been sharing space or finding a spare room wherever and whenever they could work it out. But now we are all together again–and as always, praying for the empty chair! Who will God bring to us next?
Prayer
The church staff is gathering with anyone that would like to join us for prayer every Wednesday at 12 noon, at the church office (4280 Watson Lane, Union Bridge, MD 21791)
Staff Retreat
Our offices will be closed and all the UBC staff will be away at Sandy Cove for our annual staff retreat Mon., Mar 9-Tues., Mar. 11. Please be in prayer that we would all meet with God and hear whatever He has for us to hear. Next month I’ll share what He had to say to me.
Tim Webster’s new Blog!
Follow along our One Year Bible journey at:
Each morning the daily readings will be posted as clickable links to the scripture. You can receive these daily posts each morning in your inbox if you “Subscribe by email” in the upper right. Please feel free to add your thoughts or questions through the “Add comment” link beneath each post. The first time you comment, we will have to approve it, but after that your comments will appear immediately. We’d love to have a gathering of folks sharing what they are learning through the Word.
Prayer for Pastor Dave and CR Team
Please be in prayer for Pastor Dave Dent, his wife Cathy, and the rest of the Celebrate Recovery Team (comprised of folks from California and the UK) as they head to the Netherlands and Germany and share information and personal experiences with pastors about Celebrate Recovery. They will be gone from Oct. 28th to Nov. 6th. Please pray for safety, health, obedience to the Lord’s guidance, effectively sharing the power of healing through CR, and for receptive hearts. “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”
Pastor Pete . . .
. . . will be preaching our last service at our Clear Ridge facility this weekend (Sept. 20 and 21). Come out and hear what God has to share with us, through Pete, on “How then shall we live?”, from Colossians 3:16.
Meet Alec Baublitz
Meet Alec, son of Chris and Emilie Baublitz, and first grandson of Steve and Tracie Hreha. What a handsome little guy!
Steve’s a Grandpa!
Grandpa Steve
Well, it’s official! Steve and Tracie Hreha’s oldest daughter, Emily, gave birth to son, Alec, 8/14/08 at 11:55 p.m. Alec weighed 6 pounds, 13 ounces, and was 19 inches long! Congratulations Grandma and Grandpa!
Is It a New Club?
Jason
Pete
Bobbi
It appears we are starting a new club! The “Staff Bikers’ Club!” So far Bobbi, Pete, and Jason are the only staffers to join . . . but you never know who might be next! Tim, maybe? Denise is ready to get out her bike, too (her bicycle, that is)!
The Staff at Uniontown
We consider it a privilege to be in full-time or part-time ministry here at Uniontown Bible Church where our mission is to become a holy people of the Holy God glorifying Him by imaging and proclaiming Jesus. To learn more about each one of us check out our individual staff bios.
Tim Webster, Preaching Pastor
Steve Hreha, Family & Children’s Pastor
Dave Dent, Celebrate Recovery & Executive Pastor
Pete Green, Youth & Young Adult Pastor
Jay Bubel, Outreach Pastor
Jason Merson, Worship Leader
Bobbi Senior, Office Manager
Denise Velte, Director of Membership & Women’s Groups, Teams, & Bible Studies
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