Tony Evans - A Kids Guide to the Names of God

W hen someone asks you, Whats your name? you usually respond by saying your first name, right? Jacob. Elizabeth. Devon. Maddie. Aaron. But you have other names too. Like your middle name. Or your last name. You also probably have at least one nickname. And if you do stuff online, you have a user name or a screen namesomething you chose to reflect who you are. It could be Gymnasticsgirl123 or Pianoguy1. So many names!

When someone gets to know you, they get to know all your namesnot just your first name. And if they know you really well, they might even give you a fun nickname. We connect with each other through our names. And when someone uses your name, it makes you feel specialyou feel known and important.

Its important to learn the names of other peopleour classmates, our teachers, our neighbors. And its also important to learn the names of God. Waitwhat? God has more than one name? Actually, God has a whole bunch of names! He wants us to learn about His names because that helps us get to know Him better. It also helps us connect with Him and grow closer to Him.

Getting to know God by His names is more than simply learning a new word for God or figuring out how to pronounce a title He uses. Learning to know God by His names helps us figure out who He is and to experience His awesome power. Its a really terrific way to get to know the Creator of the universe on a more personal level.

Your parents might have named you after a relative or chosen your name just because they really liked how it sounds. Those are both great reasons to be given a name, but in the Bible, people were named for a different reason. Names had a lot of meaning attached to them back then. In fact, Scripture often mentions God Himself changing someones name to show that something important happened.

For example, Abram means exalted father, but when God promised Abram he would have many descendants, God changed his name to Abraham, which means father of a multitude. Jacob, whose name means deceiver, received a new name after wrestling with God. His new name, Israel, means one who prevails. And in the New Testament, when Jesus told His disciples He would build His church on a solid foundation, He changed Simons name to Peter, which means rock.

One time, when Jesus was praying to the Father, He said, I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known (John 17:26). And by name, Jesus wasnt just talking about letters put together to spell a word. He was explaining that Gods heart, mind, will, character, and beingall that God iswould be revealed through His name.

Gods names also affect how we interact with Him. We can use one of His names when were scared, another when were praising Him, and yet another when were sick and asking Him for healing. Did you know that God has a name for every situation we find ourselves in? He does!

Now, our own names dont necessarily mean a lot. A child might have the name of a famous personlike Michael Phelps or Taylor Swiftbut not be a fast swimmer or a talented singer. The name alone contains no special power. Yet when that name is connected to the quality it represents, the result is powerful. And thats the deal with Gods namesthey all have power. Also, God is so amazing and awesome and incredible that one name alone cant fully tell us all we need to know about Him.

Im completely convinced that God wants nothing more than for us to truly know Him. And we get to know Him better by knowing His nameswhat they mean, when we should use them, and why theyre so important. Throughout the Bible, when God revealed Himself to His people in a new way, He often revealed a new name.

Heres a great example of this. When God asked Moses to lead the Israelites out of a difficult and challenging situation, He empowered Moses by revealing one of His names. Moses said to God, Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, The God of your fathers has sent me to you. Now they may say to me, What is His name? What shall I say to them? (Exodus 3:13). In this situation, Moses needed to know Gods name. He knew that Gods power and authority were attached to His nameand that the Israelites would pay way more attention than if Moses had used his own name. (In chapter 2, well see Gods response to Moses.)

God had a name for Moses to use to show the Israelites His power, and God has a name for you to use in whatever situation youre facingfear, friendship troubles, school stress, sickness, worry, or whatever. No matter what name you use, God is always there for youand you can get to know Him better and better as you learn more of His names and understand how they teach you different things about His character.

Dont worry if this seems a little bit complicated. With Gods help, youve got this! In fact, in the New Testament, Jesus tells us that God often reveals His awesomeness, excellence, and splendor to those who have childlike hearts: I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants (Matthew 11:25).

Now, if God is willing and able to reveal Himself to babies, He will undoubtedly reveal Himself to you. All it takes is your willingness to learn. And a great way to start learning more about Godwho He is, what He does, and how He cares for youis to learn some of His names.

A big thing to remember is that Gods nameno matter which one were usingis hallowed, which is another word for holy. Were not supposed to mix up His name with anyone elses name or toss it out lightly. All of Gods names are holy, so we are to honor them, respect them, and treat them with reverence.

Heres a good way to look at this. If the president of the United States or the governor of your state were to walk into a room, you wouldnt address him or her by his or her first name. The position demands a certain level of recognition. You wouldnt say, Hey, dude, whats up? You would place the title in front of the name and speak it with respect.

God is to be treated with more respect than we would show to anyone else. He is the one and only true God, and we need to treat Him accordingly. This isnt to say that God is mean or scary. Hes not. He wants the best for us, and He wants to walk alongside us as we go through life. But He is God, and we always need to remember that. When God isnt treated as He rightfully should be treated, He doesnt take that lightly. And that will affect your relationship with Him.

Its hard to really know God without knowing and understanding some of His names. Have you ever felt as if someone was trying to judge youto tell you who you are (or tell other people who you are) without truly getting to know you first? A lot of people try to do this with God, but it doesnt work. Why not? Because they dont actually know Him personally.

The better you understand Gods names, the more you will worship Him. And by learning several of His names, youll come to know Him in new ways as He shows up in your life to guide you and direct you and challenge you and love you.

When we know Gods namesand honor them and experience the power they representwe get to know Him better. We see His power working in our lives. We are tuned in to Him, so we notice the amazing things He does for us. And we start sharing His love with others.

Learning Gods names together will be exciting! Get ready to discover God in ways youve never imagined and to get to know and experience Him through His powerful and amazing names.

GOD PROVIDES FOR ME!

God is active in your life right now. Even if you cant see Himlike you see your mom or your brother or your catHes there. Write down your responses to these questions, and as you do, imagine seeing God right there in your everyday life.

What did you see or hear (or even smell!) when you woke up this morning and looked around your room and outside?