YHWH
One of the names of God is YHWH (Gen 2:4), often translated into English as “LORD” in all caps, because the ancient Hebrews didn’t want to say His name out loud for fear of speaking His name in vain.
YHWH is related to the Hebrew verb “to be” and relays the sense that God is the one “who is being” and who “will continue being” – as Moses discovers in Exodus 3:14,15 when he asks God for His name:
“I AM who I AM… The LORD (YHWH), the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.” (Exodus 3:14,15).
It is this persistent presence and consistent character of God that provide the assurance that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8) and that enable “Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come” (Revelation 1:4).
He is trustworthy. He is reliable. He isn’t leaving us, ever. His promises are true.
No matter the current challenges and future uncertainties, God will continue to be who He has been –
“The LORD (YHWY), the LORD (YHWH), the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness” (Exodus 34:6).
That is the reason we can go through the darkest valleys and not be afraid – because He is with us (Psalm 23:4). Because He IS, we are never truly alone. He hears our prayers, He sees our tears, He understands our hearts.
Hagar was an Egyptian slave who was being mistreated by her master Sarah. When Hagar ran away, God appeared to her at a spring and told her, “You are now pregnant and you will give birth to a son. You shall name him Ishmael (which means, ‘God hears,’) for the LORD (YHWH) has heard of your misery” (Genesis 16:11).
In response,
“She gave this name to the LORD (YHWH) who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” (Gen 16:13). She named the spring Beer Lahai Roi, which means: “well of the Living One who sees me” (Genesis 16:14).
While we may not yet see, the One Who WAS and IS and WILL BE sees and hears us. While we may feel alone, He is still with us. While we may feel like giving up, He still has a plan for us, to give us hope and a future.
by: Jinha Kim
"But those who drink the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life." John 4:14