Not only does the name Jehovah literally mean "I AM," and expresses the truth "I am God," but it also means "I am the self-sufficient God, I need no one and have in My self all that I need.'' Further it means, ''I am the everywhere present God." You and I are here or there, but God is everywhere.
That is why David in Psalm 139:3,4 writes, "Thou compasseth my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, O Lord, Thou knowest it altogether." Using the name Jehovah here again, David writes what ought to fill us with the fear of reverence and awe.
So often we behave as though God is miles and miles away from us. We can do this and do that and need have no fear, because God is out of our thoughts, as though He were too far away to see or hear what we do and say. How seldom is it that we can sincerely sing:
My words from Thee I cannot hide,
I feel Thy power on every side;
O wondrous knowledge, awful might,
Unfathomed depth, unmeasured height!
There should be more of that in our lives. And as those redeemed by the blood of God's Son, we should have a fear of reverence and awe before the God of our salvation. Fear of punishment, because of all the sins He sees in us, must not be the end of our reaction to the truth that He is everywhere present and knows every word in our mouths which expresses the filthy thoughts and desires of our hearts and minds. We must have a deep reverence and awe coupled with a sincere thankfulness. Yes, we should be thankful that His name is Jehovah, and that He is all that which this name declares. For it also means, "I AM your Savior in Christ My Son."
We cannot get away from His searching eyes. Neither can we get away from His infinite love, mercy, and grace. These our everywhere present God has, and these He makes us taste and enjoy. Surely they are of unfathomed depths and unmeasured height. For they are the virtues of the I AM that I AM.
Read: Psalm 103
Psalter versification: #382:2
Meditations on the Heidelberg Catechism
Song for Meditation: Psalter #306
Why not sing along??
Through the Bible in One Year
Read today:
Nehemiah 11 ; Nehemiah 12:1-26
1 Corinthians 10:14-33
Psalm 34:11-22
Proverbs 21:14-16
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Quote for Reflection:
How can we convince our children that God is important, if we never give Him any of our time? How can we pretend to love Him, when we scarcely spend a minute with Him alone? Our children may dutifully learn their rituals, and chant their mealtime grace, “God is great, God is good, and we thank Him for this food”. But down in the heart, where the real attitudes are formed, our prayerless lives have taught another message: “God is great but He can wait; gotta hurry or I’ll be late.” L. Christenson
Additional Info
- Date: 16-August
