What's in a name?

Lately I have been very caught up in the specific names of God. Just before beginning the Stepping UP study, I was given a book "Praying the Names of God" as a gift. It is a wonderful book that I will soon be using as my personal morning devotion guide once this study is over. I love to learn names of God in the original Hebrew and then come to a better understanding of the scripture where they are used. As I start to learn each of these many different ways to refer to God, he becomes a living, breathing, multi-faceted, incomprehensible, wonder. A three letter word is just to small to define Him!

I have also been reading "The Shack" by WIlliam P. Young. For those of you who have not yet heard of this book, I strongly suggest you check this website: http://www.theshackbook.com . While there is some controversy surrounding this work of fiction from various Christian camps, I personally find it to be a glorious depiction of the relationship between each part of the Holy Trinity and an image of Grace and relationship that I can truly comprehend. The visual images that capture me remain long after I put the book down. It is a wonderful journey.

Because I have been on this "name thing" for a few weeks now, it really intrigued me that there are a few names in The Shack that refer to God. He is "Pappa",God, and Elousia. The name Elousia especially caught my attention and I went to my "Names of God" book to see if it was listed there. It wasn't - however last week my eyes did rest on this name for God: "El Roi" (pronounced El raw-EE) meaning "The God who sees me". I had to sit down and chew on this one for a while (and I am still chewing ;-) ! Once again, in troubled times, praying to "The God who sees me" is quite comforting.

This name for God was only used once in the entire scripture! I find that amazing. Only one time was God referred to as the one who sees us...it is the context that it was used that really touched my heart. In Genesis, when Hagar is in the desert sobbing over her circumstances - having been abused and mistreated in the desert by her master (Sarai) she was running away. She is feeling isolated and afraid. She is not sure what she can do. Here she is, pregnant with child, having fled the only means of support she had, in the middle of a desert, not sure how she will get her next meal, where she can go, who would take her in. She is so alone...then God shows up!!! Hagar calls Him "El Roi" the God who sees me. She is not alone any more!!!

Isn't it wonderful that we have this name for God to remember. No matter what my circumstances, no matter how isolated I feel, there is a God who sees me.

Now, since I have had time to really think of this - I took that name and repeated it several times, giving a different emphasis on each word. With El Roi, I am really praying to more than one name.

First there is the GOD who sees me. In this case, I am recognizing the supremacy of God, he is the ultimate, the one who I worship as "I am".

Second, there is the God who SEES me. Now I am relating to the God who knows and understands me - as no one else can. He really sees the inside of me that is held private from everyone else.

Finally, there is the God who sees ME. This is my personal God, the one that I can talk and relate to, tell my plans to, ask advise from, come to for help. He sees ME individually from the rest. And He will be there for ME, in all my circumstances.

How wonderful to have El Roi. I am captured by this name.

Then, I began to wonder - if I take such delight in God seeing ME, how much must it delight Him when I see Him!!! That is the mutuality of our relationship. It gives totally new meaning and purpose to my days. I want to delight Him the same way by recognizing when I catch a glimpse of Him. And the most wonderful thing about this is that the more I look - the more I can see Him!

Back to "The Shack"...as I have been coming to this realization, I came across a wonderful quote from this book. Not to take anything from the story (you really have to travel the journey of this book with no preconceptions), there is a quote from Jesus regarding our relationship with him:

"...I don't want to be the first among a list of values; I want to be at the center of everything. When I live in you, then together we can live through everything that happens to you. Rather than a pyramid, I want to be the center of a mobile, where everything in your life - your friends, family, occupation, thoughts, activities - is connected to me but moves with the wind, in and out and back and forth, in an incredible dance of being."

I just absolutely love that image. God as the center of a mobile - spinning and moving all around me. With my eyes on the center, I can capture the colors and shapes of God moving in and out and all around me. Not just when I am reading scripture or praising in worship or serving in ministry - but in EVERYTHING.

El Roi - The God who sees me. Oh God, I pray that I delight you when I see you too!