I found a renewed interest in the names of God while actively fighting cancer. A friend contacted me when she heard what I was going through and gave me a list of the names of God.
Using different names for someone promotes intimacy. The words like “dad, sweetheart, son, daughter, friend” bring about a certain intimacy.
We use these words because we know the character of the person we are talking to, and we find that person to be so precious to us!
While I’m not a Biblical scholar, I believe that if God called Himself by different names, we should all explore these names.
If you are going through a difficult time, calling on a specific name of God may bring additional comfort!
Although most scholars say there are up to twenty-four names of God, we will focus on five.
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Jehovah Rapha-The God who heals.
The first place in the Bible to include this name was Exodus 13:26.
He said, “If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.” Exodus 13:26
There are so many verses about healing. And these are precious to us all. Here is a previous post regarding healing and breast cancer.
https://www.singlemomoutwest.com/health/breast-cancer-stories/
This God of ours knows how to reach across the whole of humanity and bring us comfort and hope in a very personal and tender way.
I highly recommend Waking Up to the Goodness of God: 40 Days Toward Healing and Wholeness by Susie Larson!
I read one devotional chapter at every chemo session, and its encouragement and hope got me through. This is an excellent book!
I could use some healing in my life—mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally! I pray to be whole again, and Jehovah Rapha is the God who can make that happen!
Jehovah Jireh is a name that came from Genesis 22. In this chapter, God told Abraham that he would provide a sacrifice.
Later, in the book of Ruth, God shows his provision to Ruth and her mother-in-law, Naomi. Ruth had lost her husband in the land of Moab. Naomi had lost her husband and both of her sons.
In need, she decided to return to Bethlehem, and Ruth decided to go with her instead of returning to her homeland. She wanted to stay with Ruth.
As widows, things looked pretty hopeless. Upon their return to Israel, they were allowed to glean barley in the fields to pick up the barley left behind by the workers.
Ruth worked daily in the fields and caught the eye of a wealthy landowner, Boaz. Through God’s provision, Ruth could remarry and have a son.
Naomi and Ruth had been women in need with little hope of a future, but they were provided for and given another future! A good future!
The next name of God is EL ROI, The God Who Sees Me.
Hagar was a single mom who had been put in this situation by Abraham and Sarah. She probably made some poor decisions, but she had a whole lot of help getting there.
You can read about the whole sordid affair here.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2016&version=NIV
She was abused and ran away.
We find her in the desert, not knowing which way to go. God appears to her and gives her instructions. “Because he has seen her misery.”
She gave this name to the Lord, who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” Genesis 16:13
When life is difficult, don’t you want to know God sees your situation and misery? He does. He is the God who sees EL ROI.
Jehovah Shalom- The God of Peace, the name of God that quiets our hearts and brings us to a place of peace.
This was also the case with Gideon, a man after my own heart. He saw the problems but was too scared to do anything about it.
You can read about the story here.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Judges%206&version=NIV
I will sum it up for you.
Here is Gideon, a man of God, who gets that his country is headed in the wrong direction. But when God tells him what to do, he asks, “Are you sure? My tribe is the least in the country, and I’m the least in my family.”
I have taken some liberties with paraphrasing, but that’s close to what happened.
After God has convinced him through a series of tests, Gideon finally believes and agrees to do as God commands. However, as it does for most of us, fear continues to be an issue with Gideon.
But the Lord said to him, “Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die.”
So Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and called it The Lord Is Peace. To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. Judges 6:23-24 NIV
Gideon is one of my favorite people in the Bible. He becomes a great warrior but continues to walk closely with God and find his peace there. He knew what he was doing was big, but he also knew that he would succeed if he obeyed God.
In the last few years, I’ve become a single mom, started my own business, began to homeschool as a single mom, and fought cancer. Each of those things is big in its own right.
And it’s very tempting to say, “Are you sure, God?” And the God of peace, Jehovah Shalom, says, “Peace! Do not be afraid!”
Jesus-The God Who Saves
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. John 3:16-17 KJV
The sweetest of all names: Jesus.
This God didn’t want to leave us in our sin and our death. He gave up his only son, Jesus, to take our punishment for sin.
For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
And for the simple act of believing in your heart and confessing with your mouth, you can accept his gift of salvation.
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Romans 10:9 KJV
Billy Graham’s Website has a specific area about this if you want answers.
