Tag Archives: attributes-of-god

Do You Know Him? – YAHWEH-Shammah

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God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Psalm 46:1, NKJV

Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say: “The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

Hebrews 13:5, NKJV

Another of those amazing names of God is found in the verses above, and in so many other places in the Bible. God is known as YAHWEH-Shammah, “The LORD who is present.” We oftentimes hear someone speak of the omnipresence of God – a statement which means that God is literally everywhere, all the time. You cannot go anywhere that God isn’t. That is one of His astounding attributes.

But here, we are speaking of a self-designation of God Himself. He is not only everywhere, all the time, but He is also with us, personally, all the time. We can never be separated from the presence of God. As we give thought to this amazing truth it causes us to experience certain feelings, certain emotions, that can be of great encouragement while at the same time being of great admonition. Let’s think about some of those feelings as we consider His eternal presence with us.

First of all, this name of God presents us with a challenge. To know that He is always with us – every moment of our lives – should be a huge challenge to live in accord with His teachings. It should be a source of motivation to strive to live lives of righteousness. We are commanded to put off the old habits of our pre-converted state of being, and put on the new habits, behaviors, actions, attitudes, etc. of the imputed and imparted righteousness of our Lord. His continual presence with us should be a constant source of encouragement when we are successfully striving to live that kind of life, and a constant source of challenge when we aren’t. Remember, it was the Lord Himself who instructed us to be holy, even as our Father is holy. The recognition of His presence should help us to maintain that level of commitment.

A second truth is that this name presents comfort to the child of God in times of pain and struggle. The presence of a friend in times of crisis can be so comforting, uplifting, and strengthening. They may not be able to alleviate the discomfort, but their presence means so much. It is the act of being there that helps so much. God is always there. His presence is a constant, comforting reality. We are never alone in facing the difficulties of life. The psalmist states that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” No matter how terrible the trauma, how difficult the situation, how unbearable the circumstances, He is there to help in the midst of the distress. Call out to Him, and He will manifest Himself by giving that peace of God that surpasses all knowledge.

This name is also a source of conviction for the child of God. Let’s be honest with ourselves: there are times in which we are not walking as closely with God as we know we should. There are times when we willfully, knowingly, choose to disobey God and engage in activities that are clearly denounced in the Bible. We choose to commit sin, to enjoy the fleeting pleasure that sinful behavior brings. For the child of God, this brings about an immediate quickening of our human spirit as the Holy Spirit drives a spiritual dagger into our heart. We are made aware of the fact that we have committed an action that clearly grieves the Holy Spirit. This aspect of the awareness of His presence is crucial for us, because the Bible teaches that if we are living in open rebellion to the teachings of God’s Word and don’t experience the conviction of the Holy Spirit, then we are not His children. This is truly an acid test of true Christianity. If we can live in sin, and enjoy it, with no sense of conviction, then we do not belong to His family. The presence of God in the life of the believer is one source of knowing beyond doubt that I belong to Him.

A fourth truth about this name is that it presents courage. A powerful example of this is found in the Book of Joshua. After the death of Moses, Joshua is appointed to lead the people of Israel as they enter the promised land. Listen to these encouraging words God spoke to Joshua as he is given this mantle of responsibility.

No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and of good courage…

Joshua 1:5-6a, NKJV

What a daunting task Joshua had ahead of him. But God encourages him with these beautiful words of reminder that God would be present with him as he had been with Moses. God is our ever-present help. He never leaves nor forsakes us. He is always by our side to lend assistance, to give us strength, to see us through.

Let’s not neglect to thank God for this amazing aspect of His relationship with us. Let us strive to live daily in the awareness of His constant and consistent presence. And let us share the love and light of His presence with us with others who are still living in the darkness of this world.

Until next time:

Blessings!

Do You Know Him? – YAHWEH-Rohi

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The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Psalm 23, NKJV

It’s one of the most well-known and probably the most beloved of all the psalms. We have heard it countless times, and many of us have committed it to memory. It is used quite regularly in memorial services for those who have passed from this earthly life.

But there is so much in this psalm that we need to know if we would grow in our relationship with the Lord. And notice carefully that the word LORD at the beginning of the psalm is in all caps, showing that it is the name of God, YAHWEH. So, David is speaking of the relational aspect of his intimate knowledge of God. He is not just talking about God, but rather he is sharing his intimate relationship with God. Let’s take a few minutes to delve into understanding the many ramifications of this beautiful psalm.

First, think about the personal aspect of David’s words. He states in the most intimate of ways, “The LORD is my shepherd.” David can use this personal pronoun about himself because he knows God. He doesn’t only know about God, but he knows Him in the most personal way. He doesn’t have to speak of God in abstract, non-relational ways, speaking of His attributes out of his having learned those attributes, but out of his own personal experience with God. He can say “My Shepherd” because of his own personal experiences with God.

Second, David speaks of his confidence in his Shepherd. We see this clearly in the words, “I shall not want.” David has learned that no matter what his circumstances may be, or how serious his situation may seem, he can have confidence in God to care for him and to supply him with whatever is necessary to meet the demands of the moment. We are not to understand from this that God will always supply a super-abundance of the things we want, but He will always provide what we need. David had already learned this from the experiences through his many hardships in life, and now he trusts that God will continue to be with him.

A third thing we can learn from this beautiful psalm is that David believed God would protect him. He mentions two things that clearly illustrate this point: safety as he walks through the valley of the shadow of death, and having a table prepared for him in the presence of his enemies. The Shepherd always looks after his sheep! Philip Keller, in his book “A Shepherd Looks at the 23rd Psalm”, goes into great detail explaining how the good shepherd would put his own life in danger for the well-being of his sheep. Jesus Christ, the Great Shepherd, did just that: He laid down His life for His sheep. Knowing Him gives us confidence and assurance as we walk through those dark valleys of life.

David closes this psalm by speaking of the permanence of his relationship with the Shepherd. He speaks of the fact that he will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Believers in Jesus Christ have the assurance that we will live forever in that wonderful place the Lord has prepared for us. He will come again and receive us to Himself so that we might enjoy His presence and provision forever. Hallelujah! What a Savior! What a great Shepherd of His sheep.

If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, then take heart knowing that He is your Shepherd. He is providing for you, protecting you, and guiding you in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Rejoice today in knowing Him.

Until next time:

Blessings!