Naming Conventions of God

Scripture: So she made a vow and said, "O Lord of Hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant, and remember me and not forget Your maidservant, but will give to Your maidservant a baby boy, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head." 1 Samuel 1:11

Observation: In praying to God, Hannah calls God "Yahweh Sabaoth", a title that connotes military authority. She actually reinforces this personal perception of God in her celebratory prayer in chapter 2, starting off stating her "horn is exalted" and her "mouth is bold against my enemies", and that by God "the bows of the mighty are broken" and "by strength no man will prevail." For Hannah, God is her military protector and deliverer. And the question is ... why would a simple woman whose biggest issue in life appears to be childlessness identify with God as a military authority instead of a loving counselor?

Application: God is everything. As a result, everyone can and does perceive God - and interact with God - in a manner suiting their situation. For Hannah, she was at war with Peninnah, Elkanah's other wife who provoked Hannah due to her baroness. Hannah reached the point where she wanted to God to more than comfort her. She wanted God to crush Peninnah and triumphantly proclaim her victory through prayerful faithfulness.

For me, God is my provider. He is Yahweh Yireh - Jehovah Jireh - Lord the Provider. Sometimes he is Abba ... my daddy who loves me. Occasionally he is Adonai or El Shaddai, the majestic authority. He is always Lord ... the one with final authority over my very life. In general, he is often just God ... the one and only divine creator and ruler of heaven and earth. And of course, he is Jesus, the manifest messiah and redeemer of us all, and the Holy Spirit whose power is here to guide and assist.

The amazing thing is that God can be everything so that we all have a Lord who aids us in our current situation. God did not declare himself to be one thing. He did not declare himself to be the ruler of the day, or the god of thunder, or even sovereign over the earth and humans. God declared he simply existed in an all-encompassing manner. He can aid us in every situation, at any time, in every place.

Prayer: My Lord, God, Adonai, Yahweh Yireh ... Abba ... thank you for your love, patience, and assistance in all situations every day. May I serve you today to the best of my ability. Actually, may I serve you better than that, by your strength, wisdom, and guidance. Amen.