Today’s Verse—Luke 1:49
The Mighty One has done great things
for me. His name is holy.
Do you ever greet your friends like this?
“Hello, Boy-who-is-smart-and-plays-the-trombone.”
“Good morning, Girl-who-likes-ham. How are you?”
“Doing well, Boy-who-wears-mismatching-socks.”
Maybe not, but did you know that God has dozens of names that describe His character in the same way? In the Bible, God is referred to as Abba, which means “Father.” Here are some other names He goes by:
• El Shaddai, which means “almighty”
• Jehovah Jireh, which means “the Lord who provides”
• Jehovah Rapha, which means “the Lord who heals”
• The Alpha and Omega, which means “the beginning and the end”
He is also called the Good Shepherd, the Light of the World, the Prince of Peace, Counselor, the Horn of Salvation, King of Kings, Living Water, Holy One, Righteous One, Savior, Teacher, the Vine, and the list goes on.
One great thing about all these names for God is that they are perfect tools for worship. One of the goals of worship is to remind yourself just how awesome God is and in what ways He is awesome. When you pray, you can begin with a name for God that has a special meaning for you.
For example, if you were sick a week ago, but then you got well, you can address God as Jehovah Rapha, because He is “the Lord who heals.” If you have a fight with your brother or sister, but then later you’re able to make up, you can thank God for giving you the ability to reconcile, because He is the Prince of Peace.
Connie’s Corner
I’ve been called a lot of things: snoop, stubborn. Eugene once called me capricious. (I didn’t even bother to look that one up.) But I’ve also been called a few nice things, too. Precious (by my mom) and lovely (by Mr. Whittaker). I don’t know if I deserve any of the bad names or the good names, but God has definitely earned every one of His names. So I guess I should use them, huh?
In the Odyssey episode “Hallowed Be Thy Name” (album 17), Whit taught about the many names of God. But there wasn’t enough time for him to talk about every single name. And there aren’t enough words in our language to talk about how wonderful our God truly is!
Daily Challenge
With your parents’ permission and/or help, go onto the Internet or look in the index of a study Bible and find all the different names for God. What do the following names mean? El Elyon, Jehovah Shalom, Emmanuel, Rabboni, Rose of Sharon. Then think about all the ways God has blessed you. In your prayers, use a name for God that means something special to you.
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Worship Theme Memory Verse—Psalm 99:5
Honor the Lord our God. Worship at his feet. He is holy.