Valerie Rae Hanneman
Exodus 3:14-15 (NIV) “God said to Moses, "I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.' " God also said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites, 'The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.' This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.”
I’m calling Willie a lot of names. I call him some of them to identify him. I call him “Willie” because that is his name. I call him ”Doc” because that is my favorite nickname for him. Another nickname is “Preacher” - that has a cool old-fashioned ring to it, although “old-fashioned “ is the last adjective I would use to describe Willie. I also call him “The PC.” He is - after all - the Professional Christian. Joy told me that his family back East calls him “Bill” so I called him that a couple of times - but I couldn’t do it with a straight face. (Major giggle factor.)
I’m calling Willie other names that reveal different facets of who he is in my life. I call him “Pastor”. Willie is the God-appointed leader of our community of faith. I love being under his leadership. I can not tell you how many times I have gone to him like Chicken Little “The sky is falling, The sky is falling” with a seemingly insurmountable problem in Care Fresno. He will make an off-the-wall statement that takes my focus off the problem, then he turns it to the solution - a solution that usually is right under my nose. I honor, respect, support and love Willie as my pastor - not only because God expects it - but because he has earned it. I call Willie “Mentor.” The guidance he gives in my life is invaluable to me. More than once, his advice to me has guided me into a Christ-honoring decision. I appreciate his wisdom and guidance more than I will ever be able to tell him. I call Willie “Teacher” Willie teaches me about being a Christ-follower just by the way that he lives his life. But he also teaches me by always being willing to answer my never-ending questions. I ask if a direction I want to take in a devotional is consistent with the Word. I ask about something I have read in the Word. And I will admit that I ask him “stump the Preacher” questions just to see what he says. Regardless of why I am asking the question, Willie is always gracious about answering them. He has an incredible store of Bible knowledge - and he loves to share it. The name that I call Willie that is closest to my heart is “Friend” I didn’t grow up having many male friends. In elementary we avoided boys like the plague because they were covered with cooties. In later years we were “just friends” with the guys that we were not interested in - but they weren’t really friends. For too many years, the only “friend” I had was a little baggie of powdered death. But now I know what it is like to have a male friend - because Willie is my friend. Pastor, Doc, Willie, Mentor, Friend, The PC, Teacher, Bill, Preacher - each of these are names that I am calling Willie and each of them helps to define who he is to me.
God has a lot of names. The Word abounds with them. Some of them identify who He is. One of my favorites is Yahweh - I AM. It is such a powerful name. With this name, God says that no matter what instant of time or where within eternity we are - He is I AM - already present. It gives me chill bumps to think of that. A partner to this name is El Olam - the Everlasting Eternal God. Then there are His names of power - El Shaddai - The God of Might, Yahweh Sabaoth - The LORD of Hosts. El Elyon is a name of position - God most High. Jehovah - LORD. These names just scratch the surface of His multitude of names. I have books dedicated to listing and defining the many names of God.
Why do you suppose God has so many names? Doesn’t “I AM” pretty much say it all? Or “The Everlasting Eternal God”? Doesn’t “God Most High” cover all the bases?
I call Willie a lot of names and each one of them defines who he is to me. But sometimes I need him to be my pastor more than I need him to be my friend. Or I need him to be Willie more than I need him to be my mentor.
It is the same with God. Sometimes when our minds are worried we need him to be Jehovah-Shalom, God of our Peace. When we have lost a loved one we need Him to be our Comforter. When we are dancing with joy then He is Yahweh-Nissi, God our Banner. When we need guidance He is the Great Shepherd, when we’re weary, He is the Resting Place, when we don’t know where our next meal will come from He is Jehovah-Jirah, God our Provider. When the world is dark - then He is our Light, when life is hard then He is our Refuge in Times of Trouble. When we are alone, He is Emmanuel - God with us.
God has so many names because He uses them to reveal His different facets to us. He has so many names because He wants us to know that no matter where we are, what challenges we face, what joys we dance to or what sorrows pull at us, He is there. And He will reveal to us a name or a facet of who He is that is exactly what we need at that time. No matter what is going on - good or bad - in our lives, God is “I AM” and He will meet our needs.
Holy God, I love all Your names, I love to use them to think about all that they reveal about You. But the name that is closest to me heart is when I call You my True Friend.
Contact Valerie or subscribe to the e-Ministry of Fresno First Baptist at valerie@fresnofirst.org
Posted by Valerie at January 27, 2006 08:24 PM