What's in a Name?

"No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations.  As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah."  
~ excerpts from Genesis 17:1-18

Hello!  Welcome to week 3 of our study, The Names of God by Ann Spangler.

This week we are introduced to EL SHADDAY, God Almighty.  If you've been around the church or listen to Christian music, this is probably a name you've heard before.  Amy Grant made the name more known with her 1982 song, "El Shaddai".  If you're new to the church or have never heard Ms. Grant's song, that's okay!  All you need to know is in our study this week.

In our reading, (Genesis 21:22-34) it is God Himself who reveals this name to Abram and by doing this reveals who He is.  WOW!  How would you react if God revealed Himself to you with this name?  Pay close attention to how Abraham reacts.  What is your take on that?  I'm really not sure what to think about Abraham and his response!  Though it does bring to mind times when I've reacted the same way to God's calling, "who? me?  you must be kidding!  how am I suppose to do that?"

You may notice that I used both Abram and Abraham in that last paragraph.  That's because he was Abram at the beginning of our reading and Abraham by the end of it.  God changes his wife's name, too.  Why do you think God changes their names?  What significance does that have? And what could that possibly mean for us?

While the reading is short and EL SHADDAY may be familiar to you,  I encourage you to spend quiet time with the questions, especially #5 & #6.  It is in pondering and answering these questions that God will be revealed to you and others through your life.

If you don't yet have the book, here are the last two questions:

#5. Have you ever had to wait a long time before God acted in your circumstances?  Describe your experiences and how it tested you.

#6. What does the name EL SHADDAY, God Almighty, mean to you?  How have you experienced God's almighty power working on your behalf?

I would love to read about how you have experienced El Shadday in your life.  I hope you will share your story in the Comments!

Have a wonderful week!

Your Partner in Ministry,

Shelly
warrior

"Kind words are like honey - sweet to the soul and healthy for the body."  ~ Proverbs 16:24