Knowing God goes beyond saying His name . . .

 

Name-dropping is the practice of casually mentioning the names of famous people as if they are friends, done usually to impress others. It is considered snobbish or a pathetic attempt to be seen and admired. If I tried to do that with the Lord, I would be breaking the second of the ten commandments:

You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. (Exodus 20:7)

Not only that, it would reveal that I do not know Him at all. This is a total violation of Bible teaching that God’s purpose is that we really know Him, not know of Him, not think of Him as a casual friend, or as a genie in the heavens to grant our wishes, or an angry being with a big club of judgment. Truly knowing Him dispels all rumors and lies about His nature and character:

And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. (John 17:3)

I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me. (John 10:14)

And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. (1 John 5:20)

As MacArthur writes, my desire to know God should motivate me in fervent prayer like it did these men of God:

Now therefore, if I (Moses) have found favor in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you in order to find favor in your sight . . . . (Exodus 33:13)

Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind . . . . (1 Chronicles 28:9)

Indeed, I (Paul) count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith — that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death . . . . (Philippians 3:8–10)

This passion to know God is the driving force behind prayer. Those who know God pray most often and most fervently because the more that He is known, the greater our confidence to ask great things and serve in increasing devotion.

The passage about spiritual armor adds prayer as the result of wearing it. I will be “praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication . . . keeping alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints” (Ephesians 6:18) because my knowledge of God is vital. Knowing each piece of armor reveals knowledge of His character, what He has done, and what His will is for this world and those He has created.

This is similar to knowing other people. When I do, I know their history, their values, their likes and dislikes, even their secrets. The difference is that knowing people includes knowing their weaknesses and failures, but when it comes to knowing God, there is none of those! He is all powerful and nothing can thwart His ability or determination to do whatever He desires.

His desire is that “none should perish” and knowing that ought to fill me with the same desire so that I will pray for those who do not know His saving power and be ready to share the Gospel with them as God gives opportunity. Knowing God means living for what is important to Him.

PRAY: Jesus, grant me a greater desire to know You, and a deeper desire to be like You, desires that make a difference in my prayer life.

PONDER: The importance of knowing God intimately, and practicing all the biblical ways of seeking Him.

 

 

Honoring God’s Name

Perhaps it happens here, but unlike cities in North America, we have not heard cursing in public in the city of Florence, Italy. Does that mean a greater respect for God? Not knowing the language could be the reason, but we have not seen anyone expressing anger and frustration with words, known or unknown.

In our home city, people argue and insult one another in public with cursing and even children take the name of God in vain. It is common in movies, at sporting events, and on street corners. Winners on television shows almost always say the name of God without any thought; their expressions are common-place.

This is distressful to those of us who know the commands of God, and even more to those who also have a saving relationship with Him through faith in Jesus Christ. We would not curse our dearest friends, and certainly not the One who died to forgive our sin and give us eternal life. Instead, we want to celebrate Him and His precious Name:

“I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations . . . . Blessed are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face, who exult in your name all the day and in your righteousness are exalted.” (Psalm 89:1; 15)

As a new Christian, I often caught myself saying things that I knew I should not say. This included the Lord’s name said out of the context of praise, worship, or prayer. It was an old habit and needed to be broken. The way to do that was not by concentrated effort, but by a deepening relationship with Jesus. The closer we became, the less I was inclined to make those verbal slips.

As my relationship with Him grows, I also notice a greater ability to control my speech in other areas, such as critical remarks about others, verbal abuse of my own self, or silly statements about anything. God may have had that in mind too when He had Moses write this command:

“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.” (Exodus 20:7)

^^^^^^^^

Dearest Lord Jesus, Your name is precious. Songs have been written to declare it. My heart softens and becomes warm when I hear it. Jesus, name above all names — Jesus, the most precious name I know. Loving You restrains my tongue. Instead of cursing You, taking Your name in vain in other ways, or even thoughtlessly saying it as an expression of my emotions, I only want to use it in praise and whenever I’m having a sweet conversation with You.