Daily Devotional

Power In The Name

by Barbara Head on July 24, 2021

“...At that time men began to call on the name of the Lord.” (Genesis 4:26)

“...Aaron is to bear the names on his shoulders as a memorial before the LORD.” (Exodus 28:12)

One of the interesting and comforting things about being a child of God is that God desires a relationship with His creation.  He is not a disengaged entity who set things in motion and then stepped away, but reveals Himself to us and invites us to be our true selves with Him.

Our first priority in getting to know who God is should be to become acquainted with the most prominent Hebrew names of God, realizing that none of them completely defines Him or His character but each of some 26 descriptors sheds more light on the mercy, protection and blessing available to believers.  One of my favorites is “El Roi,”(the God who sees me).  Others include “Yahweh Yireh,” (the Lord will provide) and “Yahweh Shalom” (the Lord is peace).  There is power to heal, encourage, cleanse, calm, strengthen, convict and enlighten in His Name, whatever and whenever needed.

The importance of having a unique identity is established from creation, as in Gen. 2:19 God gives Adam the privilege of naming every living creature.  The God we serve makes a point of saying He sees each sparrow that falls (Matt.10:29) and commends the shepherd who calls his own sheep by name and leads them (Jn.10:3).  While I am not a fan of pets, I can only imagine that each is viewed by God as a gift with diverse capabilities and dispositions, given to their owners to love.  How much more is the Father’s love for us.

The O.T. story unfolds of God’s calling out a peculiar people for Himself.  Names of key characters are introduced, but their obedience to the call often involves a name change.  For example, Abram becomes Abraham, and Jacob becomes Israel.  However, in Jacob’s case the name change exposes him to self-examination and admission to a past of deception associated with his name that he was now choosing to leave behind in exchange for a blessing.  No more pretense, but honesty ; a new identity and a new heart are given.  Imagine what it must have felt like to hear your name spoken by Jesus.  To  Nathaniel He said, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false...I saw you while you were still under the fig tree...” (Jn.1:47).  To Peter He said, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah...And I tell you that you are Peter...” (Matt.16:17-18).  To Zacchaeus He said, “...come down immediately.  I must stay at your house today” (Lk.19:5).  And to Mary Magdalene He quieted her fears at the empty tomb by simply saying, “Mary” (Jn.20:16).  Sometimes when I listen closely, He calls my name and says, “Peace.  Be still.”

Song of Solomon 4:7 poetically says, “All beautiful you are, my darling; there is no flaw in you.” Is that how God sees me?  I love to think so.  Verse 12 says, “You are a garden...you are a spring...”  Vibrant, productive images describe new life in me.  Other terms of endearment can be found chapter, book, and verse throughout the New Testament.  Here are a few:  Christian, Disciple, Brother, Saint, Believer, Elect, Ambassador, Friend, Heir, Instrument, Light, Branch, Member of the Body, Pilgrim, Redeemed, Steward, Temple, Chosen, Jewel, Citizen of Heaven ,Kings and Priests, New creation, Vessels of mercy, Jars of clayWhat these names tell me is that Jesus loves me.  This I know! For the Bible tells me so.

From pondering the Name above all names to noting the naming of creatures, to the promise given to Abram in Gen. 12:2 (“I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great”), to the order to engrave the names of the sons of Israel on the shoulder pieces of the priest’s ephod, to marveling at the significance God gives to my name, this is the path of today’s meditation.  Through faith in Christ, I too have been given a new name (Rev. 2:17) and a new relationship with One who knows my name.  My high priest intercedes for me before the Father, bearing me on His shoulders because it is His worthy name that gives us both access to the divine presence.  No attempts to make a name for myself that might be engraved on any earthly pillar can compare with being “engraved on the palms of [His] hands” (Isa.49:16) and “written in the book of life,” (Rev.20:15).  Such is the intimacy of being a child of God.  Blessed be the Name of the Lord!

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