SEARCHLIGHT
Is God your confidant?
SCRIPTURE
From now on the name of the city will be YAHWEH-SHAMMAH: “GOD-IS-THERE.” Ezekiel 48:35b The Message
SPOTLIGHT
Knowing someone’s name is so important. But knowing someone by name is even more important! Do you personally know any of the “Who’s Who of the World”? Maybe you know about some prominent people who have world influence but more than likely you don’t personally know them by name. Here’s the twist. You can personally know the “Who’s Who of the Universe”! God, the living Creator of all, wants you to personally know Him by name.
The “Who’s Who of the Universe has chosen to reveal Himself by identifying His 9 compound names in Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Psalms, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel. In order to personally know the Living God by name, ask yourself the following question in the next paragraph.
Where is God? Today’s Scripture focus tells us that God gave Himself a compound name to answer that question. It is Jehovah Shammah. Jehovah means “I am who I am.” Shammah means “God is there.” Jehovah Shammah means “The God Who Is There.” MEET THE GREATEST INFLUENCER in the universe!
Where is “there?” “There” is a word that refers to a place, location, or position. So where is God? Where is His location? Upon studying the Bible, you discover that Jehovah Shammah means that:
- GOD IS IN HEAVEN. The ultimate experience of God’s presence is heaven. Today’s Scripture focus records Ezekiel ending his book with God’s great promise that He will eternally live with believers in the heavenly city. The Apostle John heard a heavenly voice describing God’s city: “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or morning or crying or pain for the old order of things has passed away. [Revelation 21:3,4 NIV] Heaven will be your ultimate experience of God. Heaven is focused on God. Heaven is filled with Godly people celebrating God’s presence because there is no sorrow, sin or Satan.
- GOD IS ON EARTH. God is present on earth. How can that be? Because God is omnipresent. He is capable of being everywhere at the same time because He is God. There is no location that God does not inhabit. This truth should not be difficult to grasp when you think about how the internet covers the world. No one on earth can totally get away from God. The fact is that everyone on earth is somewhere between close to or far from God. Are you close or far? Read Psalm 139:7-12; Jeremiah 23:23,24; Acts 17:27,28. God is present everywhere at the same time. If you are an atheist, skeptic or critic, you cannot escape, hide or flee from God’s presence. If you are a believer, you know wherever you go you enjoy a personal relationship with Almighty God. No matter where, God is there!
- GOD IS LIVING WITHIN BELIEVERS. God resides in righteous people or people who are right with God. Peter wrote, “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil…For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God…” [1 Peter 3:12,18 NIV] People right with God become the temple or dwelling place of God. God is at home within you because you have become righteous through Jesus Christ. Paul wrote, “…for we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.’” [2 Corinthians 6:16 NIV]
Where is “there?” Where does God live? On earth, God is present but in addition, God makes His home within believers, like you and me. The Bible says that “…the Lord loves the righteous…” [Psalm 146:8c NIV] Jesus made this truth reality by leaving heaven and coming to earth. The angel of God told Joseph that Jesus’ name is “Emmanuel” which means “God with us.” [Matthew 1:21,22 NIV] What great news! As a believer, God takes up residence within you and feels right at home because you have made Jesus Christ, His Son, your Savior and Lord.
The God Who is there is the God Who is here. That’s what a hurting grandmother learned as she sat with her ailing grandson in the hospital. When her faith was wavering, she desperately wanted God to assure her that He was involved. She prayed the Lord would give her something “familiar” so that she would know He was there, with them. Within a very short time, 3 new medical staff introduced themselves. All of them had the first names of her nieces. Then a doctor came on the floor who introduced herself as “Dr. Wilson.” That was the last name of her 3 nieces. God had given her the “familiar.” In her words she said, “God met me at my deepest need…He was with us!” The God Who is there means He is the God Who is here!
Are you ready to MEET THE GREATEST INFLUENCER? His name is Jehovah Shammah.
The searchlight question asked you if God is your confidant? A confidant is someone who is there, present with you, regardless of the situation. He supports you, stands by you, strengthens you, and is totally trustworthy and reliable because he is present, right there with you, all the time. This is Jehovah Shammah, the God who is there. Are you enjoying the fact that God never leaves you or forsakes you but is continually present with you? [Hebrews 13:8; Joshua 1:5; Matthew 28:19,20] God is there…for you. And God says, “I’ll be there for you!” Make God your confidant!
SOMETHING TO DO
Checkout the Scriptures given in this devotional so that your faith in God will be strong.
SOUL TIME PRAYER
Thank You, Lord God, Jehovah Shammah, for always being there with me at all times. Thank You for living within me and empowering me for living. And thank You that someday I will see You face to face. Until then, though I do not see You, Lord God, I trust You are there, with me. AMEN