By Request - What'd You Call Me

 Bless the LORD, O my soul;

         And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
 Bless the LORD, O my soul,
         And forget not all His benefits:
 Who forgives all your iniquities,
         Who heals all your diseases,
 Who redeems your life from destruction,
         Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,

Psalm 103:1-4 NKJV

Do your close friends and family use nicknames or 'pet' names for you or for each other? Nicknames or shortened versions of your given name are usually born of familiarity and/or affection and represent a special bond or relationship, more than just an acquaintance. Have you ever had someone you didn't know very well call you by your nickname because they'd heard someone else do it? It just doesn't feel right - a line crossed, a defense line breached...definitely awkward. You almost want to be ugly and say, What'd you call me?!? You don't know me well enough to call me by that name...  They haven't earned the right to use that familiarity. There is not the required level of trust to feel free enough to respond to them using the name.

How familiar are we with God and His only Son? Do we know Him well enough to be able to just whisper His Name and feel His presence? Do we know Him as the Great I Am, as Father, Abba? Healer, Deliverer, Redeemer? We can list lots of names for Jesus, but do we know Him in those capacities? Have we earned the right to use the familiar Master, Savior, Lover of my soul? Do we trust Him so we may respond to Him when He calls us?

The Good News is we can use family names with God and His Son. Nobody knows us better than He does. He wants us to know Him better. In truth, He's gone farther than anyone else in order to get closer to us so that we are familiar with Him, His Word and His Names. 

So what do you call Him?

Prayer:

Father,

          We want to know You more. Reveal Yourself to us. Give us clean hands and a pure heart. In Jesus' Name we pray.