Unlike any other child who ever came into the world, God named Himself.
And these are the names He chose.
Wonderful Counselor
Mighty God
Everlasting Father
Prince of Peace…
I love how God chose to enter our world…as a baby, the sinless being placed in the hands of the sinful. The Holy One entering our world with restrained power.
Oh how God’s ways are not our own.
I remember the day my husband and I found out the gender of our first child – we were having a girl. I was SO excited for the day to come. I was tired of guessing what we were having and calling the baby “it” or “the baby”. I wanted to make “it” personal….to give “it” a name.
As a school teacher, I had a list of names I didn’t want to use (Doesn’t EVERY school teacher?). I didn’t want our child’s name to be too common where she would be called by her first name and last initial. I wanted her name to be uncommon enough to hopefully be the only one in her class, yet not so uncommon that when the substitute teacher came to school she would mispronounce our daughter’s name and the whole class would laugh…I’m only speaking from experience here folks.
Poor kids….what were their parents thinking with that name?!
When my husband and I set out to pick the name of our first daughter, we wanted a name that was sweet, yet strong and friendly, yet smart…a name that would describe who we hoped she’d become in her time and with God’s help.
Unlike us, when God named Himself, He knew who He was.
Wonderful Counselor
He will guide His people as they put their trust in Him. He is the creator of wisdom and the giver of knowledge! And our precious Lord is not a stingy giver of wisdom, oh no, He gives generously to all who ask. (James 1:5)
Mighty God
Need He say more? He is mighty to save. Powerful in EVERY way possible…HE IS GOD!
That problem you are facing? It’s no match for our Lord!
This past week I was reading an old sermon from C. H. Spurgeon – dated 1859 – on the topic of God’s name being Mighty God. At the end of the sermon, Spurgeon shared the following:
“I beg and beseech of you all present, as God the Spirit shall help you, come and put your trust in Jesus Christ, he is “the mighty God.” Oh, Christians, believe him more than ever, cast your troubles constantly on him; he is “the mighty God;” go to Him in all your dilemmas, when the enemy cometh in like a flood, this mighty God shall make a way for your deliverance; take to him your griefs, this mighty God can alleviate them all; tell him your backslidings and sins, this mighty God shall blot them out. And, O sinners, ye that feel your need of a Saviour, come to Christ and trust him for he is “the mighty God.” Go to your houses, and fall on your knees and confess your sins, and then cast your poor, guilty, helpless, naked, defenceless souls before his omnipotence, for he is able to save unto the uttermost them that come unto God by him, because when he died he was not manhood, without divinity, but he was “the mighty God.” This, I say, we will write on our banners, from this day forth and for ever; this shall be our joy and our song—the child bow and the son given is to us “the mighty God.”- C.H. Spurgeon
Ahh, is that not powerful?!!!
Our God is mighty to handle anything that comes your way. Turn to Him and seek His involvement in your life.
He is mighty to help, save and redeem!
Everlasting Father
He is now and forever will be Father. He is a father to the fatherless and the father of all Fathers. He is the dad who stays, the dad who cares and the day who deeply loves us.
He is everlasting, and He will never leave us or forsake us. (Deut. 31:6)
Like the Good Shepherd He is, He looks over us, tends to us and helps us to grow in our faith and knowledge of Him.
Prince of Peace…
He is the ruler of peace, the giver of peace and only true peace can be found in Him.
He is holy, yet chose to come to us as an approachable baby…for unto us a child is born.
Thank you Jesus for being exactly who You’ve said You are.
Let’s Talk:
How do focusing on these names help you to worship Jesus with greater appreciation this Christmas?
Love God Greatly!
Focusing on the names of God has really shown me how little I have explored who God is and what He says about himself. This is all good though! Even after 24 years of following Christ, I still am able to be blown away by who He is and the fact that He cares for us. And He cares for us well. He cares for our bodies, our souls and our minds. I love getting to learn more behind all of the names I have read and heard in the bible and song. The one that has touched me the most this week, Wonderful Counselor. The fact that the creator of wisdom and giver of knowledge, desires to give GENEROUSLY! Thank you Lord for being willing to draw near to us!
Prince of Peace. The Sunday before this study started a song about resting in the arms of Jesus was sung in church. We’ve had a lot of things going on this past year. Lots of loss and stress. And I thought about how long it had been since I had rested in the arms of Jesus. Everyday when I read my verses or this blog I keep thinking this study was written just for me. God knew what my weary heart needed to hear and he has used you guys to say it. Thank you.
Wonderful Counselor. I am facing several decisions to make and I am finding comfort in knowing that God will tell me the right way to go if I ask him. I have had James 1:5 written on my mirror for a few days as a reminder that I can ask God and He will tell me as long as I have faith and slow down and intentionally listen for His answer.
The names show me that any need I have, any place that I find myself in, low point, high point, HE is there, HE is part of it, HE is the answer, HE is all I need.
The everlasting Father. I feel so connected to God when I relate to Him as my Father. A Father provides, protects, loves, cares, understands, and holds you close when you need it. God has been and will always be my Father.
I have loved seeing each name not just individually but also how they underscore each other- just as looking at a multi-faceted jewel. They all sparkle and shine with the radiance of our Awesome God! My favorite so far is The Shepherd. But I am really looking forward to the next two weeks. I am being blessed greatly by this study! Thanks!
Through this study, and a few weeks before that, I felt an urgency to see God in every aspect of who He is. I have not been let down. This has been, by far, my most favorite study from LGG yet. I have sat at His feet and listened to Him tell me how He is my Jehovah- jireh, my Jehovah-rohi, my Prince of Peace, and my Wonderful Counsellor. I have witnessed, first hand, how His timing is perfect, His ways are not ours, and His authority is inexhaustible. I have cried tears of pure joy, of complete humbleness, and also of brokenness. I have fallen prostrate on my living room floor in awe of His majesty. And just when I thought I’d seen all He wanted me to, I would read others SOAPs and my blessings were overflowing once again. God’s majesty is far reaching and never ending and I praise His guidance to the making of this study for so many reasons!! Glory to God in the Highest!!
OH! SO BEAUTIFUL!! Tears.
It’s impossible for a person that knows the Lord to read these names and not feel the power, the righteousness of who God is…I don’t ever want to loose that feeling of awesomeness when I read about Him. He is my Savior and my Father!!!!
Jehovah-Jireh and the Prince of Peace are the two that have really stuck with me. My God is an amazing all-encompassing Shepherd and He loves me.
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