WMA: Oh, The Places!

I love to travel to new places. Just about everything on my bucket list includes going somewhere new and exciting!

I’m working on a new Bible study with my ladies on places in the Bible and their significance. In my study, I found several intriguing passages where God references “the place where I record my name.”

Add that place to my bucket list!

In Exodus 20, God is giving Moses instructions — including the 10 Commandments — and in the last half of verse 24, the King James Version says “In all places where I record my name, I will come unto thee and I will bless thee.” My Amplified Bible says, “In every place where I cause My Name to be recorded and remembered (through revelation of my divine nature) I will come to you and bless you.”

Books can be written about the names of God — Yahweh, Jehovah, Adonai, etc. But when I looked up the Hebrew for “name” I found the word “shem” or as some say “Hashem” which means the Name. The “shem” was a mark or memorial of individuality, an appellation or a descriptive name or title. When you speak the name, there is an acknowledgement of the character attached to the name.

There are names of people and things that are associated with specific character traits in specific cultures. For example: “sly as a ______” or “wise old _____” are common to our western culture and we know the answer is fox and owl. Folks of different cultures might have different answers or be completely unaware of the character trait we readily associate with those two animals.

God had some specific requirements for dealing with His Name among His chosen people. They would be called by His Name and they would represent His Name.

No wonder God wanted them to be set apart from the rest of the world!

The instructions He gave Moses in Exodus repeatedly reminded them not to worship any other gods because no other god carried His character traits of mercy, justice, grace, faithfulness and so many more. To misrepresent His character was to take His Name in vain!

In the Old Testament, God chose to place His Name on His chosen people as a nation and specifically on the tabernacle and later Solomon’s temple. This was the place where God placed His Name, but even the prophets knew the buildings were temporary. Ezekiel records the glory of God leaving the temple sometime before it was destroyed in 586 BC and there is no record of His presence returning to either the second temple or Herod’s temple.

The next time God would enter the temple was when He sent His Son to earth. Jesus found the place where God was supposed to dwell with His people so unrecognizable, He called it a den of thieves.

Jesus also told the Samaritan woman that God had chosen a different place to put His Name than a building. He wanted those who would love Him to approach Him in spirit and in truth. He would write His Name on each heart who would repent and invite Him to take the throne of their life!

When you accept Jesus as the payment for your sins, you are inviting God to place His Name, His character and His holiness, on your life forever.

You see, you don’t decide where God will place His name — He decides. And he will place His name in a heart willing to submit to His plans. And to give Him the glory He deserves. And where He places His name, he will come closer, and He will bless!

Scripture — Deut. 12:5-14; John 4:19-24; James 4:8-10

Prayer — Father, help me always surrender to You and Your plan for my life. Help me to draw closer to You by recognizing your amazing gift of salvation. Write Your Name on my life and use me to shine a spotlight on You so others can see what an amazing God you are. Amen

Respond — Think about this statement: “You are as close to God right now as you want to be.” You may want to reject the thought, but that statement is so true! You can be as close to God as you want to be! What do you need to be as close to God as you want to be?

— These articles are shared via the National WMA web page blog that can be accessed at nationalwma.org/blogs.