“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” — John 15:5
“What name would you give God?”
It was a hypothetical question. And yet why did it trigger a steady stream of tears? It seemed so simple. Yet it felt so vulnerable, so intimate, and so bold. God is glorious and holy and infinite and…well…God. And yet he is near and close, God with us. Even God in us. Still, who could give him a name? And if one dared (would it be wrong?), how could you sum him up? Moreover, he already has so many names, who could add another?
Yet, someone dared. Someone gave God a name.
Hagar. She was an unlikely candidate at best—an outsider, a slave, a woman on the run. (Read more about her in Genesis 16 and 21) But in her wandering, out in the middle of the wilderness, God saw her and listened to her cry. He comforted her and gave her son the name Ishmael—God hears. And in return, Hagar gave God a name, El Roi—God Sees. Hagar called God by a name that must have expressed her emotions in that moment. God had seen her in her desperation. So she thanked him with a name that reflected both his character and her situation.
Character + Situation
God’s names are all reflective of who he is. But specific names are often used to highlight an aspect of his character that’s particularly appropriate in a given situation. In Psalm 23, the psalmist famously calls God his Shepherd (Jehovah Raah) to communicate his tender shepherd-like care. In the New Testament, when the Messiah's coming is first announced by an angel, he’s called Immanuel or God with us. John the Baptist—who also announced the coming Savior—called Jesus, “The Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). In each instance, the name used is reflective of God’s character and the particular situation.
So what name would I call God?
And here is where I fear to tread. Some would say to add another name for God would be presumptuous, even wrong. So perhaps instead, I will give myself a name. As God renamed Jacob, Israel or “he strives with God” and Jesus renamed Simon, Peter or “the Rock” on which he built his church and John called himself “the disciple whom Jesus loved,” perhaps I need a new name. But what would I call myself in light of who God is and all he’s done for me? How could I sum it all up like an epitaph or (to be more cheery) a tagline?
God speaks…to me.
And here come the tears again. I’m flooded with the tenderness of my God. In so many seasons and situations his Spirit has brought to mind his own fitting words. In my despair, he said, “Don’t be afraid, don’t be discouraged” (Joshua 1:9, my translation). In my wandering, he brought me back with, “I have loved you with an everlasting love. I have drawn you with unfailing kindness” (Jeremiah 31:3). In my abundance, he reminded me that “every good and perfect gift is from above”(James 1:17). I could tell you a hundred more stories. But, yes. God speaks to me. He is close and dear and kind. This is how I most intimately experience him, by his Word and through his Spirit.
What about you?
If you considered God’s character and his interactions with you, how would you characterize your life? What new name or epitaph or tagline would you give yourself? Maybe spend some time in prayerful reflection, thanking God for all of his good work in you and reminding your heart of all he has done.
