This somewhat resembles the tatoo I want to get. I always liked tatoos, but never felt inspired by anything to want to get it inked permanently. The original idea of this design was inspired a couple weeks ago at IV. In Beth's talk, she spoke about two types of fear in the Bible. One was fear as in being afraid, and running away. The other was yira- being in total awe and reverence of God. The word rolled off the tongue so loverly, yira. Nicole and I both were marveled at that word we just learned. She said that would be a good tatoo. And she wrote it on her hand. Yira Yahweh. And we both agreed it'd be a good tatoo.

At church this morning, I got inspired. Yahweh turns into YHWH, like the original text. I have heard it said before that since the name of God was indistinguishable, He gave this name to Moses, which wasn't meant to be said phonetically, but breathed in and out. YH (inhale), WH(exhale). Breathing in God is a very beautiful thing to me. It keeps me focused on Him, and it silences my inner distractions. You could even say it's very zen-like. When we come to God, clearing away our minds, and all the junk we are thinking is usually the best way to be able to connect. I often forget this. Having YHWH inked somewhere that I can would set a good reminder to me.


Yira. I often fear God, and fear things. But it isn't that yira fear. It's the other. I flee away from him, hiding from him, too scared to be in his prescense. In place of yira fearing God, I fear other things- school, relationships, myself. All these fears culminate, distracting me from God's perfect love. The fear spoke of in 1 John 4 is this. "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."I want to fear God, not being afraid of him. But being in total awe of his power and sovereignty set before me. I want to bow before God and his majesty, not on the material things I set in his way.

The yira fear of God comes up numerous times in scripture. One of the earliest instances is when Abraham submits, willing to give his most precious possession, his son, up to God.

Genesis 22:2
Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about."

Abraham follows orders because he trusts God and knows that He is looking out for him. He sets God first above all else, shown as he is willing to give up his one and only son.

vs 10-12
Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!"
"Here I am," he replied

"Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."

fear God= yira YHWH

To live life without withholding from God in full worship to glorify Him is Yira.

what's more is that it's Jesus showing up here to intervene Abraham's sacrifice. Jesus is God in man's form. The Angel of the LORD, is not just an ordinary angel. It doesn't say AN angel of the LORD, it says THE. And also how else could the angel say that you have not withheld from "me" unless this angel was also God? So it has to be Christ. What's so weird, and how this all connects, is that God does give his son up to save the world. He sent Christ to die on a tree. This was the true sacrifice, this story leads to.

And that'd be the part that completes the tatoo. The completeness in Christ's death on the tree makes us able to yira yahweh. This tree (cross) has several layers. When we have Christ, we start off as seeds, and grow into trees, bearing much of his fruit- love, joy, peace, patience, gentlness, and self-control. We start off small, and it is only through Christ that we grow into big thick beautiful trees. We continue to grow. It is in Him, and his redeeming love that we can have life, life to the fullest. And experience eternity now.

I feel connected to nature, what God has created. The ground I walk on, the trees I see. I love trees. They are a beautiful symbol of what it is to have life. God's love and the nature of the cross is seen in his creation. The Tree of Life. What can I say, I'm a tree hugger.

Another thing a I see a tree a symbol of, is community. We are all different parts of the tree- the roots, the stump, the branches, the plant life, without each other, we are not able to function. Do you ever see a tree without a stump, or without at least 3 branches. Trees show that the best way to live is not individually, but in community.

I never wanted a specific tatoo. This one has so many layers to me, and is so personal to my existence as a human being, that I really am excited for the day I get it inked. Which won't be anytime soon, cause I have no money. When I get a job, I'll start setting aside increments of money towards, it and hopefully get it done by a friend I can help support, or someone working for a good cause. I had thought for awhile that getting inked would be a big waste of money, but not if it goes towards something good.

Up and above is the design, in Janelle fooling around on Paint form. I'll get one of my artistic friends to take the concept and make it prettier. I want the tatoo somewhere I can see it, but I'm not sure where. My ideal place is vertically on my wrist. Yet, that'll hurt a lot. We'll see when the time comes!