| What should we call God? When you're | | | | casting lots. If Bible characters didn't worry about it and |
| communicating with God, how do you refer to God? | | | | Jesus didn't specifically address it - I don't think it's |
| Do you call Him Father? God? Lord? Yahweh? Some | | | | anything to worry about. |
| see God as feminine - so perhaps Mother? | | | | There's another issue that comes into play here as |
| The thing is many people have some very strong | | | | well. |
| ideas about how we must refer to Him to be | | | | The God we read about in the Bible was defined in |
| successful in communicating with God. Some folks go | | | | the Hebrew language. So there's a language barrier to |
| so far as to say that if you call God by any name | | | | some extent. I suppose we could all learn Hebrew, |
| other than His correct one He won't hear you. There | | | | read the scrolls and try to better understand God in |
| may even be a few people who believe there is some | | | | that way - but the reality is there are folks doing that |
| sort of punishment associated with calling The | | | | and - well it doesn't appear they're any better off in |
| Almighty something other than whatever they | | | | terms of communicating with God. |
| perceive His correct name to be. | | | | A relationship with God doesn't come by studying |
| So what are the names of God? Or perhaps what is | | | | scripture, Hebrew, Greek or anything else. Let's imagine |
| THE name of God? | | | | for a moment that the language of the Old Testament |
| Personally I use "Father". I don't view God as masculine | | | | was English. Let's imagine that the King James Version |
| or feminine anymore. Spirit is neither and God is spirit. I | | | | of the Bible was the original text. Would it really make |
| was raised with that terminology and I'm comfortable | | | | any difference? Would you suddenly be connected to |
| with it. In my relationship with God what I call Him isn't | | | | God? |
| important. | | | | What if it was Japanese, Spanish, French or some |
| Let's assume that you've never tried to communicate | | | | other language? |
| with God before and now for whatever reason the | | | | Alright I'm getting a little off track here and you get my |
| events and experiences of your life are creating a | | | | point. |
| desire within you to connect with God. You're | | | | Let's remember that we are dealing with Infinite Spirit |
| wondering about names for God. How should you go | | | | here. God isn't a being that becomes upset if you call |
| about calling out to God? | | | | Him something other than what someone else thinks |
| Well, there are a few things that need to be | | | | He should be called. |
| understood first. | | | | If you're God is the sort that does, then I guess you'd |
| 1. God created you. You are in His image. | | | | better figure out what He wants to be called and stick |
| You could read the story of the father and two sons | | | | with that. My God, however doesn't care. He just |
| in Luke 15. That's a story that Jesus told about a son | | | | wants to communicate with me, and does. We just |
| who spent much of his life away from the father and | | | | don't sweat the small stuff. Sometimes He calls me |
| then returned. Jesus told the story to help you and I | | | | Robert and sometimes He just calls me without a |
| understand the great love the Father has for his | | | | name. I like it just the way it is. |
| children. | | | | If you're still worried about what to call God, try this. |
| 2. You are one with God. Your spirit and His spirit are | | | | Get still. I mean really still. Still all your ideas and thoughts |
| intertwined in such a way that it's impossible to tell | | | | about God - even the ones about what to call Him. |
| where one starts and the other begins. Scripture | | | | Then ask God what He would like you to call Him. |
| teaches that our spirit returns to God who gave it. | | | | Whatever comes to you will be your answer. Go with |
| Some of Jesus's final words on the cross "Into Thy | | | | that. That is something between you and God. It may |
| hands I commend my spirit". Spirit is the "real" you. It's | | | | be a personal name just for you to use. |
| not limited by physical constraints of any kind. It's that | | | | When you get your answer, realize that every other |
| aspect of you that is one with God. | | | | person may be getting the same or different answer. |
| 3. Bible characters didn't seem to stress over what to | | | | God by any other name still wants a personal |
| call God. I can't think of a single place in the Bible | | | | relationship with you. |
| where there was a question about how to address | | | | It doesn't matter what your name for God is. What |
| God. There were different approaches to | | | | matters is that you're communicating with God! |
| communicating with God - from prayer to sacrifices to | | | | |