Lamentations 3:57  Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou said, “Fear not.”  (KJV)

I need to hear this admonition every day!  

I call.  He comes!

What is there to fear in His Presence?

Open my mouth.  Say His name.  The enemy FLEES!  He meets me right where I am.

Why do I find this so hard? Or do I use His name in the wrong way?

People use His precious name in vain all the time so why can I not say His name to summon His Presence, power, healing, and wisdom?  Could it be I use it without truly believing in the work of the Holy Spirit through His name.

Really?  Just thinking about it like this makes me feel like the “I” word— Idiot!  

Have we used His name so flippantly that we have no idea how truly great His name is and that He has told us to speak in His name (He has given us HIS authority-Luke 9:1) and instead of tapping into the power of His name we have reduced it to profanity.  No wonder we fear!  Exodus 20:7  says, You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

The Jews would not even say the name of God for fear of using it in the wrong way.  Christians and non Christians alike use God’s name all the time.  No other name is used to express frustration.  My great grandmother when exasperated would state, “Do Jesus.”  A little dynamite of a woman I worked with would exclaim, “Jesus Wept!”  But you NEVER hear someone say, “O Buddha!” or “Sweet Mohammed!” or “Dear Totem Pole.”

But we say “OMG!” without a thought, we pair God’s name with profanity, and we use the name of Jesus Christ like an expletive.  When we do this, the enemy has an open door and he waltzes in and sets up camp.  The power of the name of God is reduced to ash and we wonder why our prayers are not answered.  

I pray we will:  1.  Ponder this today.  2. Seek forgiveness for our failure to use His name appropriately.  Then, 3. Call on the name of the Lord, and see Him draw near.

Notice this verse says “in the day”, singular.  One day.  Not days.  Each day I must call upon His name.  His grace is sufficient for TODAY.

II Corinthians 12:19   But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Our focus verse in the middle of Lamentations, was meant to infuse hope into a people scattered, defeated, and vulnerable.  It says HE DREW NEAR IN THE DAY THAT HIS CHILDREN CALLED UPON HIM and He reminded them that they need not FEAR in His Presence.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oFlTC_UHAs

In the Name of the Lord  by Sandi Patty

May you find strength, power, and hope in the name of the LORD for today.

Call on Him.

Yvonne