In this episode, we reflect on Adonai, the Lord who has authority over our lives—but in a loving, not harsh, way. God guides and corrects us not to control us, but to lead us into freedom and deeper trust. We are reminded that He doesn’t grow tired of us, that His ways are good even when we don’t understand them, and that He both walks with us in our struggles and promises reward, restoration, and closeness with Him. Music: "Adding the Sun" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Episode #1208 He Is Series – Adonai (Lord/Master) — When You Don’t Understand God’s Ways but Still Long to Trust Him
Isaiah 40:10 “See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power, and he rules with a mighty arm. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.”
The name Adonai means “Lord” or “Master.” It means God has authority over our lives—but not in a harsh or distant way. He is a loving Lord, a good Master who leads, protects, and cares for His people.
In this verse, Isaiah says, “The Sovereign Lord comes with power, and He rules with a mighty arm.”
I think we can all agree that we like the part about God coming with power. Many of us have seen God’s power in our lives. And if we haven’t noticed it, it may just be that we haven’t been looking—because God is always at work.
But the part that says He “rules with a mighty arm” can feel harder to understand. It can even feel intimidating at first.
When we read the Old Testament, we see moments where God corrects His people. Not because He is harsh, but because He is leading them. He is teaching them how to trust Him and how to live in the freedom He created them for.
For example, in Numbers 21, the Israelites complained and spoke against God and Moses. They had seen God perform miracles—He had freed them, provided for them, and stayed with them in the wilderness—yet they still struggled to trust Him.
There were consequences. But even in that, we see God’s mercy. When the people turned back to Him, He provided a way for them to be healed.
We see something similar in Numbers 13 and 14, when the Israelites were afraid to enter the promised land. Even though God had promised to give it to them, they doubted Him.
Again, there were consequences—not because God wanted to harm them, but because He was forming them. He was teaching them what it means to trust Him as their Lord.
This is what it means for God to be Adonai. He is not just powerful—He is Lord. He has authority over our lives. But His authority is not something to fear. It is something we can trust.
Just like a loving parent sets boundaries for their children, God gives us guidance so we can grow, learn, and live the life He created for us.
God is just, and He tells us how He wants us to live. Then He lovingly gives us the choice whether to follow His ways. If we choose not to, there are consequences. Not because He wants to punish us, but because that is how we learn. If there were no consequences, we wouldn’t really have free will—God would be choosing for us.
The next part of the verse brings so much hope: “See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.”
Even though God rules with authority and lovingly corrects us, He also rewards us when we live according to His will. 1 Corinthians 2:9 says, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard… what God has prepared for those who love him.”
The verse also says His recompense accompanies Him. Recompense means to make up for loss or harm—to restore. I love this. I love the idea that God restores what we have lost and rewards what we have endured for Him.
Romans 8:17 reminds us that if we suffer with Christ, we will also be glorified with Him. We suffer with Him so that we may be glorified with Him.
I don’t know about you, but I am looking forward to that. Yes, there may be suffering here, but it is temporary compared to eternity with Him.
Trust in the Lord. He comes with power, and He will reward you for your faithfulness. Adonai is not just the Lord over our lives—He is the Lord we can trust with our lives.
Dear Heavenly Father, I ask that you bless all those listening today. Lord, thank you for being a just and loving God. Thank you for giving us clear direction. Help us follow your ways. Help us see when we are about to make a mistake and give us the strength to stop. Lord, you are amazing, and we thank you for all you do for us. We love you and ask this in Jesus’ holy name, Amen.
Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. I look forward to seeing you again tomorrow. Remember, Jesus loves you just as you are, and so do I. Have a blessed day!
Today’s Word from the Lord was received in October 2025 by a member of my Catholic Charismatic Prayer Group. If you have any questions, please email CatholicCharismaticPrayerGroup@gmail.com. Today’s Word from the Lord is, “I am the Lord, there is no other. I am the beginning and the end.”