“And God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’ And He said,’ Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, I AM has sent me to you.’” Exodus 3:14
Do you realize that God wants to communicate with you? He has given you the greatest gift besides salvation - ongoing communication with Him. Think about it. What is more important and powerful than developing a relationship with the Creator of the universe and the Savior of our souls? And this is always available to you as a child of God.
We know from scripture that God has created the rocks, the trees, the sky, and the stars and they would all cry out in praise of the King of Heaven if we did not. He has provided the Bible in which He detailed wisdom and relatable life stories of patriarchs, kings, deliverers, nobles, and peasantry about working through situations in life so we can have understanding to act like Him. He has used numbers, colors, metaphors, symbols, and types and shadows to reveal the truth about His beloved Son taking on the victorious role of Savior Redeemer for you. When Moses, the deliverer, asked the Lord who he should say sent him to the Israelites in Exodus 3:13-14, The Lord revealed his very nature in His name I Am, and proceeded to reveal His character in His later actions as Jehovah Raphe-the Lord, our healer (Exodus 15:26); Jehovah Jireh-the Lord, our provider (Genesis 22:8); Jehovah Tsidkenu-the Lord, our righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6); El Shaddai-the All-sufficient, Almighty God (Genesis 17:1) (see more comprehensive list attached). Just like a friend, He wants you to truly know Him by His thoughts, actions, plans, and desires. He wants to talk to you, and He wants to listen to you because He wants a real relationship with you.
So where do you start to develop this relationship? By first remembering that He pursued you before you even knew about Him. He convicted your heart of your need for a Savior, then He revealed Himself as that Savior and embraced you. Looking back, do you find people were witnessing to you, praying for you, and wearing clothing and jewelry with Bible verses and crosses? Was there anyone playing contemporary Christian music on the car stereo or talking about church services in the grocery line? These nudges were God’s way of guiding you to salvation through Jesus. He was communicating to you even before salvation. Consider how much more He has to share with you now.
Let your guard down and plan some time daily to spend building that relationship. You can set aside a few minutes each day to read some Bible stories from Genesis and Exodus, the New Testament, or start with the first Psalm and read one daily. Then ask the Lord to show you things about the stories, song, or how He felt about the circumstances. Turn fear away and respectfully pursue Him. You are His child, and you are welcome to spend time with Him. Keep a notepad handy to write down discoveries He guides you to and any scripture reference He shows you. It is helpful to reread these at later times. Praise the Lord for what He has done for you. Thank Him for what he has shown you and how He moved for others. You will begin to see His character revealed before you and you will know Him and love Him more and more.
Your prayer life will go deeper as you know Him more, too. You will find yourself talking to God in your daily life while driving your car, working, shopping, and fellowshipping with other Christians. Reading the stories on the attached list will help you understand what God wants you to know about who He is and how He wants to relate to you. Reading them will help you develop your faith and grow to trust Him more. Devotionals and Bible studies also build you up by learning about God’s ways. But the greatest thing is that you can simply grow by talking to Him in prayer and listening to Him every day. So just step out on this adventure with Him now!
HEBREW NAMES OF GOD IN OLD TESTAMENT REFERENCES
Adonai Master or Lord (Malachi 1:6)
El Bethel God is my Sanctuary (Genesis 28:16-19, Genesis 35:7)
El Elyon Most High God, Strongest of the Strong, Omnipotent, All- Powerful God (Genesis 14:18-20)
El Olam Everlasting God (Psalm 90:1-2)
Elroi God who sees, Omniscient, All-knowing God (Genesis 16:13); Omnipresent, God is everywhere (Psalm 139:7-12)
El Shaddai All-sufficient, Almighty God (Genesis 17:1)
Immanuel God with us (Isaiah 7:14)
Jehovah Jirah Our Provider (Genesis 22:8, 14)
Jehovah M’Kaddesh Our Sanctification (Leviticus 20:8)
Jehovah Nissi Our Banner of Victory (Exodus 17:15)
Jehovah Rohi Our Good Shepherd (Psalm 23)
Jehovah Rophe Our Healer (Exodus 15:26)
Jehovah Sabaoth The Lord of Hosts (Isaiah 6:3)
Jehovah Shalom Our Peace (Judges 6:24)
Jehovah Shammah Ever-Present God who is there (Ezekial 48:35)
Jehovah Tsidkenu Our Righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6)
Yahweh “I AM” (Exodus 3:14)
[As adapted from The Bondage Breaker and Stomping Out The Darkness by Dr. Neil Anderson and Dr. Dave Park.]
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