Inspirational Thought of the Day:
God cannot be contained by any one name, but He fulfills our greatest need with all the Names He bears.
Scripture of the Day:
Exodus 33: 12-19
“Moses said to the LORD, “See, you have been saying to me, ‘Bring this people up,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. But you said, ‘I know you by name, and also you have found favor in my sight.’ 13 Now if I have found favor in your sight, show me your way, that I may know you, that I may continue to find favor in your sight. And see that this nation is your people.” 14 And the LORD said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” 15 And Moses said to him, “If your presence does not go with us, do not take us up from here. 16 For how will it be known then that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not by your going with us, so that we will be distinguished, I and your people, from all the people who are on the face of the earth?” 17 The LORD said to Moses, “I will do this thing also that you have requested, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.” 18 And Moses said, “Show me your glory.” 19 And the LORD said, “I will make all my goodness pass before your face, and I will proclaim the LORD by name before you; I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy.”
Exodus 34:5-8
5 The LORD descended in the cloud and stood with him there and proclaimed the LORD by name. 6 The LORD passed by before him and proclaimed: “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, and abounding in loyal love and faithfulness, 7 keeping loyal love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin. But he by no means leaves the guilty unpunished, responding to the transgression of fathers by dealing with children and children’s children, to the third and fourth generation.” 8 Moses quickly bowed to the ground and worshiped.”
The day we meet someone who rocks our world, we have this burning within us for a piece of information that is more intimate than just knowing an acquaintance – we must know their name. Our heart wants to know what to call the object of our affection.
When people know us by name, they know the image we project, the deeds we perform or by our reputation. But when God knows us by name, He sees us completely and yet accepts us. He knows every aspect of who we are and He loves us.
Every person just wants to be known. We want someone to understand us and cherish us. This is why mankind has such a great potential of inflicting pain on one another. Rejection paralyzes us when someone claims to know us and says we are insufficient. But the love of our God comes in and heals our wounded souls as we get to know our God more. He is the only One Who knows us completely and unconditionally loves us.
As fully known imperfect people try to interact with a Holy God, we are desperate to know Him, too. God knows we are finite and our understanding of an infinite God Who encompasses everything just cannot be simply defined. So God gives us a way to understand just a glimpse of how awesome He is in a few simple words. He is:
“The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, and abounding in loyal love and faithfulness, 7 keeping loyal love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin. But he by no means leaves the guilty unpunished, responding to the transgression of fathers by dealing with children and children’s children, to the third and fourth generation.”
The Bible is replete with Names for our great God. God cannot be contained by any one name, but He fulfills our greatest need with all the Names He bears. For the names for God speak Who He is, not just what He is called by.
How can we relate to One Whose name we cannot fully comprehend? Even just a glimmer of understanding of Him is too much for us to fully comprehend. He wants us to know Him and delights to reveal His goodness to us in unique ways each day. What a good, perfect, loving God.
It is in knowing our God more and understanding what He means with each name he ascribes to Himself that we are changed. And our compassionate God is able to transform us from the name we bore before we knew Him and give us a new name – redeemed, forgiven, guiltless and loved with an everlasting love.
All we can do in the presence of a Holy God Who just revealed Himself more to us is simply bow down and worship like Moses did. His greatness is too awesome to be confined to one Name alone and more beautiful than any other name on this earth.
You are known, today, friends. And loved more deeply than could ever be described. He knows your name and knew you before you ever were. Come. Come and know Him. You will never be the same.
Oh God, You are too great for me to be able to praise sufficiently! Thank You for revealing Your goodness to us and helping us to know You more. Be glorified in Your people, LORD, and help us to make You known in this earth.