The Name of God

devotion  · 

But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

^12 ^And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.”

^13 ^Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?”

^14 ^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.’”

^15 ^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 you shall call me

from generation to generation. –  Exodus 3:11-16

Reflection

There was a moment when Moses had the nerve to ask God what his name is. God was gracious enough to answer, and the name he gave is recorded in the original Hebrew as YHWH.

A couple of months ago I read an article by a Rabbi who noted that the letters YHWH represent breathing sounds,

Notice this in the creation of Adam from Genesis 2

Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. – Genesis 2:7

Listen to how the Psalmist describes the revelation of God in nature…

The heavens declare the glory of God;
**the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.
They have no speech, they use no words;
**no sound is heard from them. – Psalm 19:1-3

There is a revelation of God in nature. Revelation of the fingerprints of God in creation itself.

Paul describes it this way…
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse. – Romans 1:20

What if….

Even an atheist would speak His name, unaware that their very breath is giving constant acknowledgment to God.

Likewise, a person leaves this earth with their last breath, the name of God is on their lips.

So when I can’t utter anything else, is my cry calling out His name?

Being alive means, I speak His name constantly.

So, is it heard the loudest when I’m the quietest?

In sadness, we breathe heavy sighs.

In joy, our lungs feel almost like they will burst.

In fear we hold our breath and have to be told to breathe slowly and purposely because it helps us calm down.

When we face something hard, and difficult, and seemingly impossible – we take a deep breath to find our courage. Courage to take the next step. Courage to move forward against all odds.

When I think about it, our very breathing is giving him praise.

Even in the hardest moments!

This is so beautiful and fills me with emotion every time I grasp the thought.

God chose to give himself a name that we can’t help but speak every moment we’re alive.

I speak it with every breath that I take.

All of us, always, everywhere. Waking, sleeping, breathing, the name of God on our lips.

Today as we pray for those struggling with issues pray that they become open – aware of the revelation of God in their lives. The revelation of God that is on their lips.

That the very breath they breathe is a gift – it is an acknowledgement of Him.

Today as we pray for those who don’t yet know Him – pray that their minds, their hearts, their souls, become open to the God who gives them breath to breathe, eyes to see, and ears to hear the wonder and the beauty of His creation.

Eyes to see. Ears to hear. Hearts open to the wonder and beauty of Jesus as messiah. As King. As Creator. As Savior.

In Jesus name we ask these things.

Adapted from an article found in the internet. Please forgive me for not making the proper citation.