What's In A Name?

When my first child was born, we did not have a specific name chosen for him ahead of time. However, at his birth, I felt his name was revealed to me. When I went home and looked it up, I found that his name means "Gift of God" -- which he was. Names have importance in the Bible as well. From Abram being renamed Abraham to Saul becoming Paul and Simon called Peter.



The many names of God are important, too. I have started a list of characteristics and names of God. As I come along a description or name of our Heavenly Father, I write it (along with the scripture reference) in the front of my Bible. As Priscilla Shirer says, "The more you know and believe to be true about who God is and what He can do, the more willing you become to obey what He commands." I will share just a few of the characteristics I have found. Please add on.



God is....

• my strength (Psalm 18:1)


• the blessed and only ruler (1 Timothy 6:15)


• sovereign (Micah 1:2)


• the King of glory (Psalm 24:8)


• you who judge righteously and test the heart and mind (Jeremiah 11:20)


• a God who knows (1 Samuel 2:3)


• the Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6)


• the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were (Romans 4:17)


• reliable (John 8:26)


• the LORD our Righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6)


• compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished (Exodus 34:6-7)


• worthy of praise (Psalm 18:3)


• a refuge in times of trouble (Nahum 1:7)

And don't forget, as Christians we have a new name as well.

"To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." John 1:12 (emphasis mine)