What Do You Call God?

by Marsha Loftis

This Week's Verse: Isaiah 9:6, “He’ll take over the running of the world. His names will be: Amazing Counselor, Strong God, Eternal Father, Prince of Wholeness. His ruling authority will grow, and there’ll be no limits to the wholeness he brings.”

Devotion:
There are many different names for God: Father, Lord, Abba, God, Prince of Peace... I read a book last year where one of the main characters had such a closeness and fondness for God that she called Him "Papa."

I was thinking this past week that where I am in my relationship with God sometimes determines how I refer to Him or what I call Him. When I first came to FCC, I believed in God, but didn’t really know Him the way I do now. I guess you could say that even though I was a Believer we didn’t have a personal relationship.

I’ve had a 'different' kind of relationship with my own dad. So calling God “Father” was way out of my comfort zone. Let alone Abba Father! Calling the Creator of The Universe “Daddy”?! No, that wasn’t for me. I’ll just stick with ‘God’ for now. “God, help me to know You” was probably prayed more often than any other prayer.

Lately, I’m blessed to say, that I have been referring to my God as Father! I’ve come a long way from bolting out of the sanctuary in tears every time we started to sing “Abba Father” to actually calling upon Him in this way--as a parental guide, someone who loves me unconditionally, the way I am, but also loves me so much that He will not leave me this way.

Do you call out Jesus? Our Savior, intercessor… If we are God’s children and Jesus is His son, then He must also be our brother, our friend. Someone to lean on and talk to. Someone who will intercede with Dad on our behalf! Someone who has “our back”.

This next one is a little tougher for me. What about Lord? I say it. But do I mean it? If I call God ‘Lord’ then I might have to give up some things.... control, worry, guilt, money, friends, habits… When I cry out, Lord, help me to __________ (fill in the blank) do I really want the Lord of The Universe to be Lord of my life?!

No matter what you call God and where you are in your relationship with Him, remember that He will always meet you wherever you are and be whatever you need Him to be.

Father, God, Jesus, Daddy, Papa, Lord…. Help me to know that You are All. Healer, counselor, Lover of my Soul, The Beginning and The End and everything in the middle! You are all these things and more to me. I am nothing without You in my life. Help me to give it all up to You no matter how I refer to You. You know my name; be Lord of my life. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Application:
Ask Him to meet you where you are and grow you from there. Ask Him to be what you need, whether it be a friend, father-figure, inteceeding spirit or The Lord of your life. Strive to be work in progress. Never stop growing and maturing in Him and let Him be ALL to you.

Power Verses:
Psalm 135:1-3, “Hallelujah! Praise the name of God, praise the works of God. All you priests on duty in God’s temple, serving in the sacred halls of our God, shout 'Hallelujah!' because God’s so good, sing anthems to his beautiful name.” (MSG)
Romans 9: 26-29, “If each grain of sand on the seashore were numbered and the sum labeled 'chosen of God,' they’d be numbers still, not names; Salvation comes by personal selection. God doesn’t count us; he calls us by name.” (MSG)
Proverbs 18:24, "A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a Friend that sticks closer than a brother." (NIV)
Genesis 16:13 "She answered God by name, praying to the God who spoke to her, 'You’re the God who sees me! Yes! He saw me and then I saw Him!'” (MSG)