Knowing God by his names: one name a week for a month

In the Bible, God's names are not labels: they tell of encounters. Each has a story, a place, an experience. This monthly quest invites you on a four-week journey, one name per week, with a prayer of worship at the end of each study.

What it looks like in your day

Here is one possible plan. You can follow it or choose your own names.

Week 1: "I AM" (Exodus 3:13-15). Moses asks God what his name is. The answer: "I AM THAT I AM." God is the one who exists by himself, who is present, who does not change. Prayer: "You are, and you are here."

Week 2: "The Lord will provide" (Genesis 22:14). Abraham gives this name to the place where God provided a ram in place of Isaac. God sees the needs and provides for them. Prayer: "Thank you for providing what I need."

Week 3: "The Lord is peace" (Judges 6:24). Gideon builds an altar after understanding that God would not put him to death. God is the one who gives peace, even to the one who is afraid. Prayer: "Give me your peace."

Week 4: "The Lord our righteousness" (Jeremiah 23:6). The prophet announces a king whose name says that God is our righteousness. For Christians, this name points to Jesus. Prayer: "Thank you for being my righteousness."

For each week, proceed like this:

1. Read the passage and its context.
2. Note what the name reveals about God.
3. Look for a second verse that picks up the idea.
4. Write a prayer of worship, a few lines long, based on this name.
5. Reread it every day of the week.

At the end of the month, you will have four prayers, four faces of God. You can reread them together and take a little stock: which name touched me most?

If you are in a hurry, keep only the passage and the prayer. If you are shy, everything is personal. If you want to go further, add names the following month, such as "Shepherd," "Rock," "Father."

What the Bible says

Here is the exchange between Moses and God:

“And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.”

God gives Moses his name so that he can pass it on. Notice the precision: this name is given for ever, to all generations. A name of God is to be passed on. Another name, another place:

“And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah–jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.”

Abraham went through an extreme trial: he had been asked to offer his son. At the last moment, God provided a ram. The name he gives the place is a confession. The prophet Jeremiah announces a name for the future (Jeremiah 23:6): the Lord our righteousness. And the book of Judges recalls Gideon's altar, called "the Lord is peace" (Judges 6:24).

Pitfalls to avoid

Taking a name for a formula. A name is not a magic word to be repeated. It is a portrait to be contemplated.

Looking for names with no basis. Stay with what the Bible says. Some books or websites offer lists of names whose origin is uncertain.

Studying without praying. Each week ends with a written prayer. Don't skip that step.

Trying to cover everything. Four names well studied are worth more than forty barely touched.

Forgetting Jesus. God's names find their fullness in him. Keep him in view throughout your journey.

This month, follow the four names suggested or choose your own. Write a prayer of worship each week.