A Rose By ANY Other Name?

Imagine my shock, many years ago, when our oldest daughter informed us that she would love the complete works of William Shakespeare for Christmas.  My first though was where did I go wrong.  Just kidding - but I do have to admit I had tried to get through college without having to read any Shakespeare - so this request was a bit of a shock to my otherwise delicate system.  One of Shakespeare’s most famous quotes is this “What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”  This is a reminder that an object (like a rose) maintains its essence even if it is called by another name.  In the Psalms many times we run across this kind of statement “to Your NAME give glory...” (Ps. 115:1).  As we look at the way the word NAME is used in the Psalms many times it is used as a synonym for God Himself. Let’s look at these verses together.

Psalm 9:10 (HCS) Those who know Your name trust in You because You have not abandoned those who seek You, Yahweh.

Psalm 9:10 (NLT)  Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O LORD, do not abandon those who search for you.

Holman OT Com: “To know God’s NAME is to have a personal, intimate relationship with God.” So to Know Your NAME means to KNOW God. The reason they could TRUST God is that they had a Relationship with God.  I have been in many situations where I have been asked to do something (like going up a ladder or crossing a narrow ledge) all the while trusting someone else to make sure I am safe as I do this.  I have to be honest there have been times when I did NOT trust the person. Why?  Because I did not know them.  However, my close friends or family could ask me to do just about anything and ask me to trust them and I would.  Why?  Because I have a relationship with them.  The close we are to God the more we will Trust Him.  Many times when we do not Trust God it is because we are not walking closely with Him.  It may be that because we are not walking closely with Him we do not believe what He has said in His word and we find it very DIFFICULT to Trust God.  I love the second part of the verse which bring it all together those who KNOW God Trust Him and God never ABANDONS those who SEEK after Him.  So if we want to truly Trust God no matter what is going on in our lives we need to Seek after Him - Pursue Him - walk Closely with Him.  Then and only then will we have the Confidence to TRUST Him.  Because as we get to Know Him through His Word, through our times of Prayer, we discover that God is Faithful and completely Trustworthy.

Prayer:  Lord, God help me to grow in my walk with You. May I come to know You on deeper and deeper levels.  Help me Lord Jesus to know you better so that I can TRUST You More.