In the Bible we discover the many names of God, each one describes a different facet of His character e.g. Elohim – All powerful Creator, Jehovah Jireh – the Lord will provide, El Shaddai – Almighty sufficient One, Jehovah Rophe – The Lord who heals you….to name but a few. As we meditate on God’s many names, we cannot help but marvel and be encouraged by His all surpassing, infinite greatness. This is our wonderful God!
God’s name is His reputation, power and glory. He is unique and none can take His place, nor share His throne. His name is exclusive of all others. His name is the foundation of the whole Bible and all His works.
The desire of God’s heart is that we should know His name and trust in Him. Psalm 9:10 ” They that know your name will put their trust in you, for you, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.”
Our spiritual, earthly journey should bring us to the place where we learn to trust the Lord more and more. Maturity should demonstrate the absence of the roller coaster rides of highs and lows in response to circumstances. (We may not have fully arrived at this position, but, praise God if we can say that, by God’s grace, we are on the way!). We can have confidence in our beloved Father’s loving care of us to bring us through every situation life presents. It behoves us to place God’s name above, and over, every situation and relationship that comes our way. “Prove me now”, says the Lord!
Philippians 1:6 “Being CONFIDENT of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ”. That which God began, He will finish.
God’s name is above everything. If I focus on His attributes before His name, there is a tendency to get things out of order:
God is not just a good God, He is the God of ALL goodness.
He is not just a healing God, He is the God of ALL healing.
He is not just a gracious God, but the God of ALL grace.
Every fibre of His being pulsates with every one of His attributes perfectly balanced – love, righteous judgement, holiness, justice, faithfulness, deliverance, redemption, mercy, long-suffering…..
Problems can arise when I major on one of God’s attributes to the exclusion of His others. This produces a wrong conception of who He is and a mindset that is out of order. For example, I cannot major on His love and faithfulness, but reject His judgement. I must first worship God as God, placing His name above His attributes. The greater includes the lesser. All of His attributes describe His character and cannot be separated. He is the great I AM but I must first bow to Him, as God.
When God called Moses at the burning bush to lead the exodus of His people out of Egypt, Moses was full of fear, considering his own inadequacy. Every fear Moses declared, God had an answer and provision for. So it is for us. For every weakness we declare, God will provide His strength and says, “I AM that to you!” God never changes and is still the great I AM. He is the All-Sufficient One.
For every Believer, the Promised Land of fullness is our birthright. When Joshua and Caleb led the Israelites into the Promised Land, the problems did not go away, but with God they overcame. In Christ we can overcome every hurdle of life, joyfully and victoriously….our birthright…..not miserably!! “Through our God we shall do valiantly, it is He who has put down the enemy…..Christ is King!”
For all my excuses and negative statements, God has an answer. 1 Corinthians 1: 26-31. The glory of God is revealed as He takes everything that I am not and replaces it with the power and character of His Son, the resurrected Christ. He reveals His Son in me, to God be all the glory to His holy Name. Transformed for eternity, indwelt by deity! I am ruined for anything but Himself by His unconditional love and grace. His mercy re-writes my life as I die daily.
The glory of God is in the narrow way, the way less trodden by surrender to a holy God. Do not despise the day of small things:
God does much with little…..(David’s stones in a sling-shot), most with least (Jesus fed 5,000 with 5 loaves and 2 fishes), and everything with nothing. Am I willing to become a nothing?……to lose my identity that only Jesus will be seen? A tool in the Master’s hand, a channel of His love and character, His nature flowing through and out to others, no personal agendas, just a heart seeking to obey and please our Lord Jesus and bring glory to the Father. Days of heaven on earth!
Where are the people who believe they are nothing without the Lord? My biggest enemy is myself in my heart’s attitude to people and circumstances. Will I place God’s name over and above them all? It is the only way to have a consistent walk with God, obeying and trusting Him with, and in, EVERYTHING. God will never be frustrated in His purpose. He will have a people who will believe what He declares. Will I be one of them?
