Yesterday at Amana we began a multiple week study on the Names of God. It was a good beginning. We learned how the children of Israel have come up with many names in an attempt to describe the God who took them as a special people and call them His children. We reviewed some of the names and it quickly became clear that our God is so multifaceted that one name is insufficient to describe Him. But what also is true is that each name is insufficient to describe even one element of His character.
Consider “Father” our favorite name for Him and the one our Lord chose when asked to teach us how to pray. When we use “Father” what comes to mind is our own imperfect fathers: men who ranged from the best intentioned to the absent. From men who tried to provide all the training, education and security a child needs to those who were not even present. Not a good start to describe the perfection of God. As I get older, the word becomes more personal as I consider my own feeble efforts to be “father.” I cringe to thing someone would have to use me as a starting point for understanding the God of the universe.
I came away from our first week looking at the Names of God with this: God can not be described He can only be experienced. We can only, by experience, come to know Him as Savior, Provider, Healer, and Father. Words can give us a start but experience is the only way we can truly know our Father God.
If you have no knowledge of Him, let the experience begin. If you know Him in any way, let the experience continue.
Be blessed.
Nick
Be the first to reply