Tuesday, July 22, 2014

What is His Name?
By Peggy Kleckner

“He who forms the mountains, creates the wind, and reveals His thoughts to man, He who turns dawn to darkness, and treads the high places of the earth - - the LORD God Almighty is His name.”
Amos 4:13 (NIV)

"Oh what is his name?" How often have we uttered that phrase followed by "you know the one that did such and such or played so and so in that movie." We say what we know about a person to help describe them, so that someone will fill in the name that is lost on the tip of our tongue. Imagine the conversation: " You know the One who forms the mountains and creates the wind." "The One who turns dawn to darkness." Would your friend's face become clouded over? Who doesn't know God?

Truthfully, there are days I remember His name, but I forget what I should know about Him! When I am being overwhelmed by the "stuff" of life, when life isn't looking "fair," when it looks like the darkness is winning...those are the times I struggle. Does He care? Where is He? Does He really have a plan for me? This morning, God used the dawn. It came quietly, no great noise. Gradually, it overcame the darkness. Suddenly I could see out the window, where before all was black and my vision was of no use. In my thoughts, I dared to question further, "What about when the darkness returns?" But then I recalled that the darkness does not overtake the light, the light leaves. Darkness is powerless when we hold on to the light...our hope.

God is sovereign. He orchestrates our lives. Look for Him in all of your situations. If you are in darkness, look up, reach out and grab the hand that knows the way. Open His Word and allow Him again to remind you of who He is and all that He is capable of. Stand fast; our Creator-Redeemer lives.

GOING DEEPER:
1. Do you have a harder time recognizing God in the darkness or in the light?
2. What have you learned about Him in both places?

FURTHER READING:
Genesis 1:3-5; Exodus 10:21-23; Exodus 20:20-21 

Peggy is a wife and mother of four adult children - - two sons and two stepsons, and is an active encourager at Oakwood Church in Delafield.