Monday, May 14, 2012

Names of God


As a Christian, we don’t serve many gods, but one God with many names. Many Bible studies abound with devotionals about the names of God, each one unique, each one true, and each name represented in its fullness in the character of God. What I love about the presence of God is that when he is present, ALL of his names are present too. You need healing? The Healer is there. You need righteous judgement? The Ancient of Days is there. You need comfort? The Comforter is there. Do you feel invisible? The God Who Sees is there.

This week on Kingdom Bloggers we’re sharing what name of God is the one we call to in the present day. Please read along and share your own thoughts and experiences with the God who has many names.
*********

I hate sickness, disease and injury. They are of the enemy. I know this because disease and sickness steals joy, kills life and destroys hope and that is what the enemy does (John 10:10) but Jesus came so we could have life but not just humdrum life. No. He came so we could have abundant life. And that is why I call often on the name of Jehovah Rapha, The Lord who heals you (Exodus 15:26). It’s not abundant life if we’re limited in any way.

There is no pain or sickness in heaven, and Jesus taught us to pray, “Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.” It’s a dangerous prayer for those who risk praying it. Jesus invited us to call heaven down on earth. Disease, sickness and injury have robbed enough in my life, and I’m fighting back. I’m calling in a great big God, one who can heal any disease, sickness or injury.

My heart breaks for anyone ravished with disease or malformation and I will pray to the Jehovah Rapha whenever I have the chance but it’s closer to home as well. My Boy has a severe skin condition that doctors, naturopaths and well read friends can’t cure. I’m done with natural knowledge because I’ve come to the end of the line. I need a supernatural solution for my Boy. So I call on Jehovah Rapha, the Lord who heals.

I love to dance and worship and flag but recently I’m limited because of an old knee injury that has reared its ugly head again. At times, nothing with hold me back and I’ll bring a sacrifice of praise to my Lord but my body rebukes me every time. I need a new knee, plain and simple. The best doctors can do is give me a knee replacement but at my [young] age (I’m still a few years shy of 40), I am anticipating at least 3 replacements over the next 20-30 years. I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t seem like a heavenly solution. So I call on Jehovah Rapha, the Lord who heals.

Last week on my blog, I wrote that I believe a time is coming when all the sick that are prayed for, will be healed. It’s Biblical – all who came to Jesus were healed. He is the same: yesterday, today and forever. I won’t build a theology around why I don’t see it manifested yet, but I continually and faithfully call on Jehovah Rapha, the Lord who heals because he can, and he will. It’s in his nature to heal you.

2 comments:

Linda Maynard said...

Andrea...
Just this past week, I have been pressing hard into Jehovah Rapha to heal my brother Phil.
He suffers from schizophrenia and alcoholism and this past week had a crisis.
I ask, and keep on asking for his freedom and deliverance.
Linda

Andrea York said...

Linda, I'll join with you in prayer. Jehovah Rapha is willing and able.