Mercy Cycles ~ A 2020 Blessing #2

Mercy Cycles ~ a 2020 Blessing was shaped and shared because of two things:

1) my desire to close this year with more blessings for your spirit to the whole community of the human spirit;
2) sensing consider the pattern as I reflected on this year of 2020 and the Mercy focus in which we’ve engaged.

The epiphany came when I did indeed consider the pattern:

December 31, 2020 completes three cycles of seven years:
the first day of 2000 through the last day of 2020.

In Mercy Cycles ~ a 2020 Blessing, I noted “if we look for it, God’s redeeming grace gift of Mercy will be present.” Both now and in retrospect.¹ The devotional exercise remains listed below as a standing invitation.

Teacher and Exhorter – I invite you to lean in for your portion’s blessing in Mercy Cycles ~ a 2020 Blessing #2.

Mercy Cycles ~ A 2020 Blessing #2

To the community of your human spirit, I bless you portion by portion with the gifts of your Father’s Name:

Teacher

 Jehovah-Nissi – your Father’s Name that gleams from afar as a signal and flutters as a flag, the firmly planted standard of your life. The Lord is My Banner. Teacher, I bless you with unflagging resolve and allegiance to your Father’s Name by which you prevail when the battle assails. You have been fashioned and appointed as an ensign-bearer, authorized by the Lord to bring blessing, especially to the generations. To know God both intimately and experientially is part of your birthright, Teacher. God, in His design of you, has matched the high authority He has appointed you for blessing, with another appointment of authority – over the predator spirit. 2020 has been a year of testing and proving the veracity of your Father’s Name as the banner over your life. For you,Teacher, taste and see is synonymous with test and prove.

I bless you, Teacher, with commitment to press through to victory as Moses did in Exodus 17:1-15. The journey in the wilderness, the dry land and the people’s thirst, the quarreling and grumbling levied against him; you can relate to it all and resonate with Moses’ reply: “Why quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?”

Predator Spirit

All that was prelude to God’s provision of water from the rock in the wilderness. He proved Himself to Moses, who cried out before Him on account of the people. And He showed the desert dwellers that He was Jehovah-Jireh and Jehovah-Rophe – Provider of life-giving, reviving water. How like God to quench the need, to serve as preparation for what was to come. For that was before the predator tribe of Amalek showed up on the scene.

Before the Israelites engaged the Amalekites, Moses instructed Joshua for the battle, who did as he was told. Moses stationed himself at the top of the hill with Aaron and Hur. When his arms were raised holding high the staff in his hands, Israel prevailed. When his arms grew tired and heavy, Amalek prevailed. Placed on either side of him were ones that held up Moses’ arms until Joshua overwhelmed the enemy with the edge of the sword.

Then and Now

The river of the water of life flows from God’s throne to dry and thirsty souls whom He has designed to flourish. (Rev. 22) Teacher, as you hold high the Name and Word of God, Mercy with the Lamb wars victorious over the predator spirit that stalks its prey. The tables are turned to overwhelm the enemy, against whom the Lord has declared He will Himself war from generation to generation. Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. (Heb. 12:12) May the altar you are building with your life bear your Father’s Name: The Lord is My Banner.

When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.
Isaiah 59:19b – KJV

Exhorter

Jehovah-Shalom –your Father’s Name that emanates the essence of His Presence. The Lord is Peace. Exhorter, you are full of words by design of your Creator. Words that are to bring life and reconciliation to the community, empowered by the Holy Spirit. It was peace the Lord God pronounced upon Gideon when he saw the angel of the Lord face to face in Judges 6:23 (vs 11-24). Yet, like Gideon, the Father’s order is to first bless you with peace that you have surely heard from Him before He gives the delivering release. This cycle of peace then release is part of your God-given design. I bless you, Exhorter portion, with growing in the nurture of God’s peace and the admonition of delivering a clear word true to His nature and character.

Exhorter, I bless you with knowing the Lord has crafted times of appointment that have found you, like Gideon, “beating out wheat in the winepress…” The Lord is Peace surrounds and protects your time to gather the wheat of His Word in the winepress of relationship with Him. Nevertheless, His kind intention for you, Exhorter, is that you not only come to know Him for yourself but reveal Him and His will to others. This, Exhorter portion, is your birthright, with God-given authority to live in reconciliation with power. Though to attempt this by strength of your personality averts the victory God desires.

Sowing and Reaping

2020 has pressed you to the limits of possessing your Father’s peace, while many words impress deep on your spirit. God has given you His authority to govern many by influence. And authority to broadly spread the knowledge of God to the world. Be it to the masses or over a lifetime of individuals. The key to your redemptive outflow, Exhorter, is your Wisdom principle of sowing and reaping. I bless you with mastering this principle as your plumbline for the exhortations over which God pronounces His peace. Spirit, may you rise above the natural inclination of the soul to release, like a relief valve, a multitude of words. I bless you with the Presence of Jehovah-Shalom as you build well the altar of your life to the God of Peace. Valiant warrior with words, the Lord has need of you in 2021 to deliver in peace His life-giving Word.

The Mercy Cycles ~ A 2020 Blessing will continue yet with blessings for Giver, Ruler, and Mercy. May your spirit be nurtured by the first two editions: Mercy Cycles ~ a 2020 Blessing and this Mercy Cycles ~ A 2020 Blessing #2, as together we anticipate the forthcoming 2020 blessings that remain.

~ Nancy

¹ The first cycle was completed at the end of 2006; the second cycle, the end of 2013. To you, dear reader, I say consider the pattern. What was significant in your life 2000-2006, culminating in the Mercy year 2006? And then, 2007 through Mercy year 2013? 2014-2020? I highly recommend some devotional contemplation of these Mercy cycles. Our heavenly Father is a God of Justice and matchless Mercy. To engage in this as nurture for your spirit and encouragement to your soul is to bear witness to the reality of this precious gift of grace.

Click here for a printable PDF of this Blessing: Mercy Cycles – A 2020 Blessing 2