Calling on God by Name
“What name do you go by? Steph or Stephanie?”
A new coworker recently asked me this question shortly after we were first introduced. I’ve been asked this question before, since Steph is a common nickname for Stephanie, but hearing it come from someone I had just met felt a little strange. For me, Steph is a name only close family members and some friends use. Other friends used to refer to me by using both my first and middle names and another dear friend calls me “Buddy.” All of these names are ways that people can refer to me or get my attention. All of these names were different qualifiers for me. I knew that they were describing me or trying to get my attention. They wanted to know how to relate to me better and how to identify me.
I believe a similar dynamic exists in our relationship with God and how we call on Him.
Do we call him Father, God, Dad? Abba? Yahweh? Lord? There are so many titles and descriptions that call upon God’s nature, character and identity in His power over everything. Some of the ways I connect to Him are through the different names.
Depending on the need and how I feel led in prayer or worship, I may use a different name to describe God. Those names are kind of like nicknames. They’re personal, descriptive and an aspect of God we can connect to. It’s a way to glorify and honor God in another way.
Below are only a handful of names we can call God. These are some of my favorites, but there are plenty of other ways to refer to God and His perfect, holy character.
Creator.
I love to pray to God by calling Him Creator. It reminds me of His power and also resonates with me, His creation, who also likes to create.
Healer.
God is powerful and heals people physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. When I feel down about sickness or the brokenness of the world, I call upon the Healer.
The Way, The Truth, The Life.
This is a three-name-for-one combination. Of course, each name here can stand on its own but it feels even stronger as a set. It’s a comfort to find all of these things in God and to know they are true.
Shepherd.
Did you know that sheep only respond to the call of their shepherd? They recognize their shepherd’s voice and shepherds know how to best take care of and protect their flock. Referring to God as Shepherd is a way to acknowledge His authority and care for us.
King.
Even though we can call Him a Shepherd, we also can refer to Him as a King. A king is in control and is sovereign. God isn’t just king over a small kingdom or nation. He is King over everything - from the great expanse of the universe all the way to the individual hairs upon our head.
Again, these are just some of the names. There are so many more instances in scripture and relational ways we can connect with God through prayer and worship. I encourage you to try using some different names in prayer and see how some other aspects of God’s character shine through.
