“Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.”  Psalm 9:10 NIV

Have you ever tried to call to someone without knowing their name? Or, how about trying to drive with directions without street names? “Turn at the 3^rd palm tree on the right”.  Really?!  It can be difficult at best to get the attention of that person or get to your destination.

Kids have this all figured out. They are fearless.  They walk right up to someone their own size and the first thing that they usually say is, “What’s your name?”. They share names and skip off to the playground holding hands.  Knowing someone’s name creates an immediate bond.

Not only do names create a bond, they have meaning as well. My name is Dawn. My parents chose that name just for me. It suits me.  Dawn means “the first appearance of daylight, daybreak”.  It also appears in the Bible (NIV) 33 times.  I love that!

Names are important. Your name is your identity. Are you aware that God has several names? Not one name could possibly encompass the entirety of His character. All throughout the Bible, the names of the Lord are revealed to us.  Names like Yahweh, Elohim, El Shaddai, and Adonia. His character, buried like treasure in His name, for us to discover as we learn about Him. He wants you to know Him by name on a more personal basis.  This relationship, this bond, is the foundation for trust in Him.

Won’t you join the journey as we discover these treasures together?

Heavenly Father, Thank You for revealing Your character to us through Your word. Help us to gain a better understanding of You through this study of Your names.

For Today:  Write down the different names used for God you see this week in your Bible reading.  Also when reading your Bible, try replacing “you” with your name?  It will personalize what you are reading.