My God,

You know me; you know my thoughts, my longings, my heart. You know what I sought for, you know what I stood for, you know my name.

But when I searched for You, my mind groped in darkness. I shrank back in fear as I dared to look into the infinite, as if looking down a bottomless abyss.

You are Jehovah, the great I AM, the Self-Existent One. The Self-Existent One, that's the God of this universe, the God that I need to know. Yet how can I know You? I am the derivative, You are the original. There is none like You. I had my beginning; this universe had its beginning, but You are the Alpha and the Omega. Your mind and Your being reach the infinite. How can I know God? How can I dare to make such a claim? I put my hand over my mouth. You are Jehovah, the great I AM. By that name I am in awe.

But You, in the mystery of all mysteries, revealed Yourself to me. You approached me and wanted me to know Your name.

You are God the Creator, Elohim, the beginning of all. things. You are the source of my every breath and life. You are the Great Initiator. It wasn't I who sought You out and found You. I never crossed a great distance to search for You. I never suffered and sacrificed to bridge that gap between the heavens and my soul. I sat in the seat of mockers, I was going to let the gap remain forever - forever onto hell. But You initiated. You approached me first when I was writhing in my own sins. And that's when my world began. You took the initiative, You began a new world for me. Let that fact sink deep into my heart; let me be still and know that You are God. In the beginning God - upon your moving this world started. And in my beginning God - upon your moving my world started. You are Elohim, the initiator, creator, the source of my life. By that name my world began.

You are Lord, Adonai. You are the Master, I am the servant. Your commands I will follow for all, the days of my life. The boundaries for me have fallen in pleasant places. Under You, I find purpose and meaning. Your commands give me a higher calling, a higher pleasure. Be over me, Lord, although I am such a wicked and lazy servant. Please have patience with me. Let me confess You as my Lord over every part of my life. You are Adonai, the Lord of my life. By that name I am your servant.

You are Jehovah-Rophe, my Healer. You healed me from my sins, You healed me from my sicknesses. When I writhe in the guilt of my sins, just when I feel that the wounds are too deep, You speak words of love to heal me. When I feel paralysis of discouragement coming over my body and heart, You tell me to get up and walk. When I feel blindness of pride covering my eyes, You tell me to open my eyes and see. Your healing amazes me. O Lord my Healer, let me be Your patient throughout my life. Let me experience the thrill of the lame man walking, the awe of the blind man seeing. I am sickly and weak, please help me. You are my Healer, and by that name I can have the strength to go on.

You are Jehovah-Nissi, my Banner. You are my victory, my flag. You forge new paths, push through the front-lines of battle. You engage me in the battle with eternal stakes. You are the banner that I lift up high above my head. You are the banner under which I can lose myself. Father, let me lose myself under You. Let me finally let go of my insignificant and fruitless campaign of selfishness and fall under Your banner. Help me to be Your soldier that would find the greatest glory in dying for You. Have mercy on my cowardice, O Lord. Let me look to You always to find courage and strength. You are my Banner, and in that name I lose myself.

You are Jehovah-Rohi, my Shepherd. I shall not be in want. You feed me and nurture me with the tender care of a good shepherd. Your care is so timely - you know my needs better than I know them. Just when I feel dry, you lead me to streams of water. Just when I hunger, You guide me to a grazing field. I can trust You, for You are the good Shepherd. Even through the valley of shadow of death, I can trust You, for I know that You lay down Your life for me. What excuse do I have of not trusting You? Help me, Lord, to be a trusting sheep that follows You. Help me to be a sheep that can recognize the voice of his master. You are my Shepherd. By that name, I call upon You and follow You.

You are Jehovah-Shalom, my Sanctifier. Your vision for me is higher than that of my own. Is it possible that when you lay Your eyes on me, You see a glorious creature capable of communing with You? Is it possible that the sight of me strikes Your heart with a painful longing that reminisces of the garden of Eden before the Fall? Am I indeed a being so wonderfully and fearfully made? Such knowledge is too lofty for me, for I am a creature marred by sin. Yet I welcome Your vision; I submit to Your work of sanctification, for it is Your passionate love for me that will not rest until I am in full communion with You without a sin to hinder us. O Father, let me be enraptured by Your grand vision - so that I can fully submit to Your work of sanctification. Let me recognize the pain of loss that You feel whenever my sin reverses Your sanctifying work in me, and help me to hate sin as You do. Purify me and refine me. I give myself into Your hands to mold, for You are my Sanctifier. By that name I submit myself to be purified.

You are Jehovah-Tsidkenu, my Righteousness. That name is foreign to this world without an example to turn to, and that name is utterly foreign to my heart that knows nothing of righteousness. Yet You promise that You will see me as righteous when clothed with Christ. My world, ruled by my deceitful heart, is altogether untrustworthy, for falsehood and lies sometimes triumph. But You are righteous; so I can trust You, and I can trust that truth will ultimately triumph . I can trust that You will keep Your promises; I can rest knowing that You are just in Your judgment and true to Your nature of faithfulness. Help me, Lord, to be righteous as You are righteous. Thank You for clothing me in the righteousness of Christ - it is amazing grace that You would credit unto me Christ's righteousness. Please give me the faith to believe Your promises and secure me in Christ. You are my Righteousness, and by that name I can trust in Your promises.

You are Jehovah-Shammah, You are present with me. How lonely this life would be, how fearsome this spiritual journey would become if I were ultimately alone. But You are with me to the end of the age. I look back on the journey that I have taken, and the road that I had taken is filled with markers and milestones - so timely and crucial - which prove that I did not walk it alone. Your love for me is made concrete through Your church; Your presence is felt in prayers and answers to prayers. Your personal admonishment and encouragement is heard through the messages and Your word. O Lord, help me to hunger and thirst after Your presence. Make me dependent on Your presence for every moment of my life. Help me to find courage and security in Your presence. I have promised to serve Thee to the end; Be Thou forever near me, my Master and my friend; I shall not fear the battle if Thou are by my side, Nor wander from the pathway if Thou wilt be my guide. You are present with me, and in that name I find security.

You are El Shaddai, the Almighty God. Your power is inexhaustible, Your grace is unfathomable. You have shown that clearly throughout my life. Because of Your compassion, You are a high priest that can sympathize with my weaknesses, but because of Your power, You are the savior that can overcome death and lift me up from the downward spiral of sin. Lord God, You are the Almighty God. With a word You created this world. The mountains melt away at Your presence. A word from You, and the universe will collapse back to nothingness. Lead me to tremble before You, to fear You as I ought. Help me to be dependent on You; keep my heart in check from pride. How foolish is the pride of man that would dare to stand arrogant before the Almighty God! You are El Shaddai, and by that name I am humbled.

You are Jehovah-Jireh, my Provider. You provide for my needs. But what are my needs? You approach with a promise to fill my need, pushing the question deeper. What is the greatest need of my life? What is the greatest problem in my life for which I need Your provision? O Lord, I need Your forgiveness. That is one thing that I cannot earn for myself, there is nothing that I can do. I can only moan all day long under the weight of the guilt of my sin. My greatest problem is the sin problem, and I am desperately needy because of it. Even if I were to have the whole world, what would that benefit me if I lose my soul? Thoroughly poor and needy am I without Your forgiveness. You are Jehovah jireh, my Provider. Just when I lift up the dagger of despair and hopelessness, the moment of my greatest need, you provide Your Son for me. By that name I have hope of forgiveness, my greatest need.

I search high and low for a name that would be the fulfillment of that hope for forgiveness - a new name that would fill my greatest need of cleansing. Is there another name? Is there a name that will settle once and for all the question of whether You do indeed forgive me and love me? What tearful joy when I find it in the final name that You took on - Immanuel, the name of Jesus - God with us, he who has come to save his people from their sins. Jesus, my Lord and my God, You have provided for my need, for by the name of Jesus I am saved.

You know me; you know my thoughts, my longings, my heart. You know what I sought for, you know what I stood for, you know my name. What glorious thought it is that You would approach me, wanting me to know Your thoughts, Your longings, Your heart. What wondrous news it is that You want me to know Your name.