Publication date Jul 20, 2020
friend, rely on God’s identity in the storm!
Publication date Jul 20, 2020
The life of a believer is a journey, a pilgrimage on this Earth. Sometimes the path is free and clear, and other times the skies are gray and menacing.
Luke chapter 8 recounts the story when Jesus’ disciples were trapped in a boat in the middle of a violent storm. They cried out, “‘Master, Master, we are perishing!’ Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm.” (the Bible, Luke 8:24, NKJV)
Jesus was in the boat...and yet, the storm came. It’s true that even though He is present in your life, you will experience difficult times.
friend, what is the name of your storm? Illness? Threat of divorce? Injustice? Loneliness? Unemployment? Fear of failure?
I don’t know the name of your storm, but I can tell you its purpose...to glorify God’s name! No matter what’s currently happening in your life, it has no other purpose than to lift up the name of the Lord.
Today, friend, I’d like to invite you to discover several of God’s names in the Bible. Each one is a beautiful facet of His heart and character. You can count on His identity...this is who He is and always will be!
- He is El-Shaddai, Almighty God (Genesis 17:1): By this name, God reveals Himself as the God who has all power in heaven and on Earth!
- He is YHWH Rapha, the Lord Who Heals or “the Lord who heals you” (Exodus 15:25-26): Divine healing covers different domains, those of the soul and the body.
- He is YHWH Nissi, the Lord is My Banner (Exodus 17:8-15): God introduces Himself here as the God of dignity, strength, courage, and involvement.
- He is YHWH Rohi, the Lord Is My Shepherd (Psalm 23:1): The Lord presents Himself as a shepherd close to every sheep, knowing each one by name and caring for each individually.
- He is YHWH Shammah, the Lord Is There (Ezekiel 48:35): This name emphasizes the omnipresence of God. God is present, always and everywhere. Nothing and no one can escape from His presence. Even if we run far away from Him, He is there!
- He is YHWH Osenu, the Lord Our Maker (Psalm 95:6): This name of God affirms that the source of all life is in Him. He created all things, and it is He who breathes life into everything.
- He is El-Chayim, the Living God (Joshua 3:10): God introduces Himself as the One who is alive from all eternity and for all eternity. So He is a God who acts practically, in each situation of daily life. God is not a theoretical God, but the God of life!
- He is Immanuel, God with us (Matthew 1:23): This is obviously the name of God made man, incarnate in Jesus Christ. God is not a distant God. He is a God who is close to us because He lived a human life!
- He is Yeshua, Jesus, the Lord is Salvation (Matthew 1:21): This is the name above all other names, the only name by which men can be saved. This name represents the last name of God in biblical revelation. It expresses the beginning and the end of everything. The coming of Christ represents the culminating point of the plan for humanity’s salvation.
