What is God’s Name?

When you meet someone new, do you ask their name? Or do you try to listen to  what the other folks call them?  Jane, Mary, Dave …It’s usually something right. What happens when you know their name? For most, they tend not to be strangers anymore. They’re no longer the mail lady or the guy at the store. Knowing their name feels like an introduction. When you meet them subsequently you can call them by that name, maybe they’ll know yours too and familiarity starts to set in. You are less strangers by knowing your names. Names are powerful, they introduce and familiarize at the same time.

I wonder if God is a stranger to you. Maybe you can ask Him His name.  Someone did this once, his name is Moses. Moses was a shepherd in the land of Midian. He was once an adopted prince in , but life happened. After running away from the authorities for a while due to murder he committed in his youth, he landed in Midian, married a good woman and lived a quiet life. One day as he carried out his job he saw a miracle. There was a burning bush on a mountain and the fire never spread. He had to go see what was happening, so he went closer. It turned out that it was God trying to get his attention. God wanted him to go back to the country he ran away from — Egypt — to lead a nation of about 600k people (not including women and children) out of bondage.  Moses had every excuse in the book as you can imagine and he was a chatty guy so he just talked it out with God. They talked a lot and he finally got the message but there was still a missing piece. Who was he going to say sent him? Who is this God that they might not know? Sure maybe the older generation would have a sense but what about the younger folks? So he asks God, who should I say sent me? God knew what Moses was asking. Moses wanted a way to show the authenticity of the message, to familiarize this nation known as Israel with their deliverer. So God gave him His name, He said ‘I AM’ meaning faithful. The nation of Israel understood the power of a name much deeper than we do today. A name in Jewish culture encompassed all that a person stood for and their authority.  It was like when the person’s name was spoken they were literally there represented, and God was saying to them the God that never changes His mind is the one who sent Moses to deliver you. I am enough for all you will ever need because I just am. I have no reason to change and I never will.

Knowing God’s name could be the deliverance you needed all this while. He has many names, and each one is a hug to draw you closer. You want to know God? Start with His name, He yearns to let you know all about His heart for you and those you love. Just start. Next up, how about Jehovah Shalom — the God of peace.