crowns, coronets, and hoop skirts of light

"Milk Drop Coronet" by Harold Edgerton

Sometimes it’s just a word that connects-the-dots to memory. Like the word, “crowned” in Psalm 8:5, "crowned him with glory and honor." A word study of the Hebrew word used for “crowned” is `atar (aw-tar') meaning "to surround, encircle (for protection); especially to crown -- compass, crown, to cover, enwrap, wrap oneself." The moment I read this definition the image of another “crown” came to mind, but now with the added meaning, “to surround, encircle, enwrap.” The “crown” I pictured was actually a photograph of the “Milk Drop Coronet” taken by Harold Edgerton in 1957, an unseen world of objects in motion, capturing that which is ordinarily invisible to the human eye...yet it was real. I wrote a blog post about the first time I saw the photograph in 1963, a memory that came back to me in 2007 as I wrote a journal entry in response to a Christian counselor’s prompt, “Tell me about a time when you felt special as a little girl.” As I wrote the journal entry, I drew a sketch of the photograph as I remembered it. 

Amazingly enough, just a few days later, the Lord would remind me of His Presence, Emmanuel—God with us, when I saw this same photograph at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. The symbolism was unmistakable to me, my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has been with me all along—when I was knit together in my birthmother’s womb, when I was chosen, adopted, by loving Christian parents. He was with me when I first saw the “Milk Drop Coronet.”  He was with me when I recalled it in my journal following the counseling session, and He was with me when I turned to look at the darkened alcove in the museum to snap a picture of the “Milk Drop Coronet.” He is with me today and everyday into the future. He is with me. He is intimately involved in the tiniest details of my past, my present, and my future.

Now, this word study of the word “crowned” with the added meaning, “to surround, encircle, enwrap” reminds me that He “crowns” me with His glory and honor everywhere I go, surrounds me, encircles me, like a hoop skirt of light, visible in the heavenlies. One of the greatest compliments I’ve ever received, included in the newspaper article in this blog post, was, “She was like a shining light coming through the door.” Then recently, another friend described me the same way. I know that “light” is Jesus shining through me, surrounding me, encircling me.

A pastor’s wife once told this true story of a time she was walking down a path in a park, when suddenly, she could see a man running toward her with an evil intent and expression on his face. She cried out, “Jesus, help me!” and instantly she said she actually saw a “hoop skirt of light” shining down around her, and the evil man just kept running past her, as though he had not seen her, and she was safe.

Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16

Just to know that I know that I know that because I have placed my trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ, I am redeemed by His precious blood, He has crowned me, surrounded me, encircled me with His glory and honor… as this song says, I am a greatly blessed, highly favored, and deeply loved child of God.

Heavenly Father, thank you, that in Christ, You have crowned me with Your glory and honor. I am a greatly blessed, highly favored, and deeply loved child of God. Thank you for how Your favor is operating and functioning in my life. It surrounds me and encircles me like a shield. Your favor goes before me and prepares my way. Your favor opens doors of blessing and opportunity in my life. Wherever I go and whatever I do, Your favor is with me, surrounding me, encircling me. Your favor fills my life with overflowing blessing, peace, joy, fulfillment, and abundance.

How about you, does this encourage you? Please feel free to leave your comments in the box below, I’d love to hear from you.

Linking up with Holley Gerth's Coffee for Your Heart as an encourager.