“Hey, You- God!”

I began taking French when I was in 7th grade. The teacher’s name was Miss Bryan, but that didn’t make any difference the the girl in the third row behind me. Every day for the entire year, Scatterbrained Girl called out,

“Hey, Lady! Hey, You!”

This of course, totally got Miss Bryan’s goat (which I guess was the point). She couldn’t understand why Scatterbrained couldn’t be bothered to learn her name.

Now, I know we are WAY more respectful than that when we pray. However, if we really want to know who we are praying to, it might be good to learn some of the names God calls Himself.

Why not get to know Him better through His names, then use them when you speak to Him?

Here are a few of His names from the Old Testament:

Father of the Fatherless- Av (Psalm 68:5)

The First and the Last- Rishon A Haron (Isaiah 44:6)

God- Elohim or Eloah or YAH (Isaiah 26:4, Psalm 68:4)

God Most High- El Elyon (Psalm 78:35)

God Almighty- El Shaddai (Genesis 17:1)

God My King- Elohim Melekh (Isaiah 68:24)

God the Lord- El YHWH (Isaiah 42:15)

God of Salvation- El Yeshua (Psalm 68:20)

God Who Brings to Quick Termination (He gets things done)- El Ghamer (Psalm 57:2)

Holy One- Qodosh (Isaiah 17:7)

I AM- Hayah (Exodus 3:4)

Living God- Chay El (Psalm 42:2)

Lord God-  Adonai Jehovah (Isaiah 40:15)

Lord Has Heard- Jehovah Shamah (Lamentation 3:56)

Lord of Hosts- Jehovah Tsavah (Isaiah 28:5)

Lord Provider- Jehovah Jireh (Genesis 22:8)

Lord Our Righteousness- Jehovah Tsedeq (Jeremiah 23:6)

Maker- Asah (Isaiah 17:7)

Mighty One-  Abyir  (Isaiah 60:16)

Lord Almighty- Adonai Shaddai (Joel 1:15)

Lord God- Adonai  (Genesis 2:4)

Redeemer- Gha-al   (Psalm 78:35)

Here are some of Jesus’ names:

Jesus Lord- Iesous Kurios  (Acts 19:5)

Just One- Dikalos (Acts 22:14)

The Alpha and Omega (Revelation 1:8)

The Apostle and High Priest of our Confession (Hebrews 3:1)

The Author and Finisher of our Faith (Hebrews 12:2)

God’s names in the New Testament:

Father (endearment)- Abba (Romans 8:15)

Father- Pater (Romans 1:17)

Holy- Hagiezmos (Acts 2:27)

Mighty One- Dynatos (II Corinthians 13:3)

Do you feel you know God better?

Praying Without Ceasing

My family has never outgrown read-aloud time. Even though most of my kids are grown (the youngest is in high school), we still read books together. We have recently finished a Chaucer-reading era and have now launched into C. S. Lewis and the Chronicles of Narnia for old-time’s sake.

Reading the Chronicles again, with Aslan the Lion and adventures of the Kingdom of Narnia reminds me of C. S. “Jack” Lewis’ deep faith. He was a man of prayer.

Here is what his step-son, Douglas Gresham said about him:

“I don’t know what he prayed, but it was not uncommon for me to walk into a room and to find Jack praying. And I would say, ‘I’m so sorry, Jack,” and he would say, ‘Don’t worry, I was only praying’. I saw Jack sitting at a desk in prayer. I saw Jack walking in prayer. I could tell if Jack was praying if he was walking around the garden or walking up in the woods or sitting at his desk, but I can’t tell you how I could tell. It was just something I knew. He didn’t ostentatiously get down on his knees or put his hands together in front of his face and so forth.”

His assistant, Walter Hooper, said about Lewis, “I don’t think I ever came across a person who prayed so much. Often in the morning he would get up, go outside to look at the flowers, and stand right there praying…He could pray anywhere…In a train, on a bus, on a walk, or just standing outside. And he prayed on his knees, too, beside his bed.”

(quoted from: The Magic Never Ends- John Duncan)

Lewis prayed at in many times and many places. Perhaps for him that was “praying without ceasing”.

What would prayer without ceasing look like for you?

How to Pray When You Don’t Feel Better

In my work-a-day world, I am a counselor, so I get to hear a lot of folks’ ups and downs.

One sometimes-surprising “down” during the lovely spring season is the feeling of loss and failure. The sun is bursting, flowers are glorying, trees are greening. Life and fresh starts abound.

“Then WHY don’t I feel better?”

“I should feel better. That makes me feel guilty- so I feel worse!”

It is frustrating to think we should feel encouraged but don’t. I want to share with you some ways that God has helped me deal with “not feeling better”.

Lamentations

There are times of grief, sorrow, rejection, loss, pain or trauma in all our lives. In counseling, we talk about these things openly and safely. In prayer, we do the same with God. We tell Him how we feel- openly, honestly, messily. He knows anyway and he cares.

It is helpful to read a Psalm of Lamentation (look at Psalm 31, Psalm 59, Psalm 74, Psalm 80)- read it to yourself, then to God.

Then ask someone to pray with you, too.

Sacrifice of Praise

There are times when things are irritating and pesky- folks not pulling their weight at work, kids leaving junk all over the house, endless chores. These are the things that make us feel irritable, whiny and snippy.

These are like “little foxes that spoil the vine”. They hold no eternal value and if we get our mind on something else, we forget it.

This it time to pull out Hebrew 13:15-

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name. (NIV)

We don’t feel like praising God. That is why it is a sacrifice.

But when we make that sacrifice, we are pulled back to where we belong- living with God, thinking about him and his works and his love.

The sacrifice of praise honors God and changes us.