| ...by
any other name
Calling on the Holy Spirit in prayer
|
Calling
it like it is
My two year old daughter is
still getting to grips with the English language. Sometimes she does not
know what things are called so she calls them by what they do. With this
scheme she gets by quite well. A toy aeroplane is called ‘a fly’, a
toy hammer is called ‘a tap tap’, a toy screwdriver is called ‘a
fixing’ She knows exactly what each thing is for because the name
declares it. Naming God This means to describe things
is found frequently in the Bible. In the Old Testament, particularly, God
and the Messiah are often called by other describing names. ‘Wonderful’,
‘Counsellor’, ‘Almighty’, ‘Father’ - there are loads and
loads. I was thinking about this and I was thinking that we don’t often
do this with the Holy Spirit. Is this because we are a little less sure of
what He is, or means to us and what He is meant to do for us? When we pray we
want the Holy Spirit to lead our praying for ‘we do not know what to
pray for’. When we ask Him to come and fill us/ help us, maybe we could
use some different names so we are sure exactly what we expect Him to do.
Is it the power; is it the introduction to the throne; is it the knowledge
of the will of the Father, that we want? I don’t mind my children
calling me Mother because it is my job to mother them. I don’t believe
the Holy Spirit will mind us calling Him, in the pattern of the Old
Testament, by what He does, especially if it raises our expectations of
working in partnership with Him some more. Try keeping this idea in mind
next time you pray. |
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