What Name?

“And in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted.” (Isa 12:4 AV)

But which name?  The name occurring in the verse is Jehovah.  It means the self-existing One.  There are many more.  According to Lee Ann Rubsam, there are over 650 Greek and Hebrew names or ways in which God is referred.  Jim Harwell, in his book, The Names of God, states there are over 1,000 of them.  So, which name is Israel, and by extension us, instructed to pray upon?  The answer is simple.  The name we should use it the name that means the most at the time in which we are invoking it.  The name above could be used when we simply wish to acknowledge God as God.  Other names work for different situations.  Recently, I have begun to pray using the different names of God, depending on my request or expression of worship.  I use the name for Self-exiting One, the name that means LORD and Master, and His name that means Almighty God.  There is the name that means God sees me.  Another that means my Beloved.  Many names with many meanings.  Why get stuck on only one or two?

My wife and I have many different names for each other.  Sweetie is the one I use the most.  I rarely use her given name.  It seems too bland.  She uses Honey quite a bit.  But there are other names as well.  If you have ever watched Everybody Loves Raymond, the main character, Raymond does the same thing.  When he enters the back door as he is coming home from work, he calls his wife, Deborah, a different name each time.  Some are a bit humorous.  If one didn’t understand their deep love for one another, they might be offended.  Using different names reflects a deeper understanding and appreciation for the one addressed.  The more names I used to address my wife, the more I am saying that I notice her in different and special ways.  I am saying that I appreciate the complete person that she is.  Using different names keeps us from getting into a rut where our relationship remains stagnate.

The same is true of the LORD.  I have also found that in using different names when speaking to God, reflection on how sincerely I hold that name becomes a challenge.  When I address Him as LORD and Master, do I truly believe that I am completely and humbly surrendered to God, my Creator?  When I address Him as Abba, Father, do I really feel emotionally connected to Him, as that name suggests?  When I address Him as El Shadai, do I truly believe He is capable of all things?  The list goes on and on.  Using the names of God forces us to do two things.  It forces us to know God more thoroughly and intimately.  It also forces us to internalize the attribute or attributes of God expressed by His name.  In using the names of God, we are praying more intelligently and more spiritually.  So, I would encourage the reader to find a book or two that discusses the names of God.  Learn some of them.  As you pray, use them.  It will change the way you pray, grow your faith in Him, and change the person you are.  God will be pleased that your prayer is more intimate and meaningful.  He will delight in your conversation knowing that you took the time to understand Him more deeply than cursory knowledge.