The Name: Part 3

It is Sunday, so I am back to the names and attributes of God. Two weeks ago I just listed the first five or six alphabetically, last week I talk about Jehovah Rophi- the Lord who heals. Today I have thought about what to do about the Name this week. I feel compelled to talk about more of the compound Jehovah names.

Jehovah Jirah, the Lord that provides. God knows infinitely more than I know, even about myself and what my needs are. God provides things in ways that I don't always understand or how I would have, but He does always provide what I need. I may not always have what I want, but I have never legitimately been in need of the basics in life. I have always been in a comfortable house with food and clothing. I may only have a few dollars to my name, but I have never been without the things I need. I usually even have a good deal of what I want. God has put people in my life that have paid for counseling sessions, have put gas in my car, volunteered to take me to the doctor and even those who have spent money on my prescriptions. More than the material things in life though, God has put people in my life that love me enough to provide those things. I am overwhelmed with the love I have received even in the past week. I don't deserve it at all. However, these individuals, who love God, love me just because. And that provision is changing my identity. Love conquers all sorts of internal issues.

Jehovah Rohi, the Lord is my Shepherd. Of course this makes me think of the twenty-third Psalm. God is indeed the Shepherd, but I like a sheep am often led astray. I get distracted by pain, frustration, anger, illness, among other things. But like any good shepherd, God leads me back to places of calm, love, reprieve and safety. Which leads me to the next name Jehovah Shalom, the Lord is my peace. I wish that I had peace in the midst of the trials and the storms. I wish that I trusted the shepherd to lead me to peaceful pastures. I know that He is the giver of peace. I just have an extremely difficult time resting in that truth. Psalm 23 has at least ten promises of God's care in it. That alone should bring peace.