God Names | Devotional

Delve into the richness of biblical scriptures as we explore the significance of God's various names, providing daily reflections and prayers for a deeper understanding of your faith journey.

In biblical times, you weren’t given a name just because it sounded interesting or unique. On the contrary, your name spoke of your origin, identity, or destiny. For example, Moses means “drawn from the water” and Samuel means “God has heard.”

“This is the best coach I ever had. I would do anything for him.”
Our affection for others is often conditional. While we may think we’re above that, at many levels our loyalty and actions are driven—at least at first—by how we are treated.

The ancient Hebrews envisioned God as high and lifted up on His heavenly throne, or perhaps sequestered in the Most Holy Place at the temple in Jerusalem. Either way, God was thought to be more “aloof from” than “with” His people.

Nowadays, many parents give their child a certain name simply because it sounds unique or is popular—not because it has deep meaning. Bible names are different. Naming in Scripture is a way of saying something about an individual’s character.


Think of all the different people who help us on a regular basis: doctors, nurses and therapists who help with our medical needs; teachers, librarians, and professors who help in our quest to find and learn vital information.

Sometimes life feels like an endless war, doesn’t it? You clash with a coworker. You come home and have a confrontation with your kid. You battle your weight, or a cold, or the urge to give up.

Discipline is another word for training. It’s having (and following) a clear set of expectations, requirements, and consequences in order to create an environment that will bring out the best in an individual or in a team, family, military unit, or class.

Why would a just and holy God care about the troubles of people who are simply reaping the harsh consequences of their own foolish decisions? Why should a perfect God pay attention to the prayers of imperfect people who are reliable only in their unreliability?

After being up all night with a sick kid, a young single mom faces a grueling day at work. What does she need most? That’s easy. She needs strength. Inspirational quotes on social media feeds and energy bars have their place.

The church is full of testimonies of lives turned around. A homeless alcoholic finds Jesus, gets sober, and eventually opens a homeless shelter.

A heroin addict meets Jesus, gets clean, and starts to mentor at-risk teens.

God routinely asks His people to do the “impossible”: Love your enemies. Forgive those who have hurt you. Stop worrying. Don’t be selfish. Be joyful in trials. These sound like the right things to do. But is it really possible to live like this?

In Bible times, while a sword was valuable, a spear helpful, and a slingshot deadly, a soldier’s shield was his most important weapon.
Shortly after God called Abraham, He promised to be Jehovah-Magen to him, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward”

In biblical times, a banner was a flag or ensign attached to a pole that indicated the authority, allegiance, and identity of a nation. People who were under a banner together belonged together.

Birth is often described as delivery. Maternity wards are places where doctors and nurses deliver babies. This is because the process of birth is the passage of a life, a soul, from one realm to another, from the womb to the world.

A popular personality test compares people to animals. According to the profile, you are either like a lion, an otter, a beaver, or a golden retriever. According to the Bible, however, the creature we are most like—all of us—is a sheep.


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