The Name of the LORD...

Following a series of very long days, I wanted little more than to just stay in bed this morning.  When I opened my Bible, I was looking for some motivation and encouragement.  I was led to Proverbs 18:10, which says "The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe."  How can we be kept safe by just a name?  How can just a name be compared to a strong tower, something that shelters and protects?

In Hebrew culture, your name was more than just what people called you.  Your name defined you.  It explained you.  It was the very essence of your being.  We have an example of that in the book of Ruth. In Ruth 1:18, we hear from Ruth's mother-in-law: "'Don't call me Naomi,' she told them.  'Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter.'"  "Naomi" means pleasant, and "Mara" means bitter.  Because she had changed, her name changed as well.  (If you aren't familiar with the story, I encourage you to read the book of Ruth.  It's a quick read, and one of my and my daughters' favorites!)

The name of the LORD is no different.  He is Righteous.  He is Holy.  He is Everlasting.  He is King of kings.  

We are taught early on in our faith not to misuse His name.  It is even demanded in the Ten Commandments!  "You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name." (Exodus 20:7)  But do we really understand that fully?  Especially in our culture where your name is little more than just what people call you.  

When we accept Christ, we take on His name.  "Christian" actually means "little Christ."  We have the fish emblems on our cars.  We share all the Scripture posts we see on Facebook.  But do we really take on His name?  Are we really living out the essence, the definition of Jesus Christ?  Do the people around us see the fruit of the Holy Spirit (check out Galatians 5:16-26 for this one), or are we still clinging to our sinful nature?

Misusing the name of the LORD is so much more than using it as a curse or saying it carelessly.  We don't even have to let it cross our lips to misuse it.  We misuse the name of our LORD when we live in a way that misrepresents Him.  When we say or do something that harms another.  When we fail to love those around us.  When we fail to share the gospel message with those around us who are lost and doomed to an eternity in hell.

If I stepped on your toes with this one, don't feel singled out.  I'm just as guilty of misusing the precious name of my LORD as anyone else.  It is my earnest prayer that He will help me be a better representative of who He is, and that He will do the same for you.

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." - 1 Corinthians 10:31

In other words, live life in His name.

How Do I Talk To God?

This morning started like any other weekday morning.  After fighting with my alarm clock for about twenty minutes, I dragged myself out of bed and went to take a shower.  By the time I finished in the bathroom I was coherent enough to function and somewhat presentable.  I packed Boss-Man’s lunch, saw him out the door with a kiss, made the bed, and headed to the living room with my bowl of cereal (awesome breakfast, I know) to start my quiet time.

First things first.   I pulled out the prayer request book from my Sunday School class at church. (crunch, crunch goes a bite of cereal) God, please bless the couples going on the marriage retreat this weekend. (crunch, crunch)  Please bless this person having surgery next week, protect them and help them to heal quickly. (crunch, crunch, crunch)  About this time my tea kettle went off so I grabbed my cereal bowl and headed back to the kitchen to pour up my requisite cup of tea.  The whole way there, I continued down the list, punctuating each item with the crunch of my cereal.

Standing there at my kitchen counter, working on the last bite of cereal, it struck me that maybe I was going about it the wrong way.  I’m not necessarily saying that it’s wrong to eat while you pray, because we’re supposed to pray continually (I Thessalonians 5:17).  That’s a whole other post.  What I was wrong in was the way I was approaching the throne altogether.  I was allowing distractions to divide my attention.  I was talking to God as though I were calling to place an order for something.

“Yes, I’d like to order blessings for friends, ummm, about five couples.  I’d also like the safe surgery and smooth recovery, I think it’s on page 17 in the catalog…”

That type of prayer is a one-way conversation, which is better than no conversation at all, but still not true conversation.  It’s going down a list, shooting off item after item without waiting for any response.  It’s the difference between calling to place an order and calling your best friend to discuss what’s going on in your life.  You might still use a list, there’s nothing wrong with that!  I have to use lists just to make it through my day without forgetting something catastrophic.  It’s about pausing to let the Holy Spirit speak to you.

When we sit down to do our quiet time, we need to minimize distractions.  For me, that means I need to finish that bowl of cereal and pour my tea BEFORE I sit down with the Word.  We also need to pour out our souls to the Father the same way we do when we sit down with a friend over that same cup of tea (or coffee), with true conversation.  We need to listen as much as we talk.  It also helps to be well rested, so that you’re not dozing off when you’re trying to listen.  If that means moving around and doing a few things before having your quiet time so that you can be fully awake, then that’s what you should do.  Find what works best for you, and make it a habit to sit down with the Father every day.