About that name of yours...

Have you ever read Psalm 9:10? I was reading the other day about the fact that the way you address God or how you refer to him reveals your intimacy with him (or lack of it).

What I am called reveals how well someone knows me. My last name is "Demastus". Do you have any idea how butchered my name gets by telemarketers? But that's okay. Because when I pick up the phone and the person says, "May I speak to Mister Demarksicus?" That alerts me that this individual does not know me.

Maybe I might take my family to a restaurant and have to wait for a table. After a few minutes, the hostess calls out, "Dee-Mast-Us, party of four!" The hostess may know my name and how to pronounce it. But we don't really know each other.

Sometimes I am called, "Pastor Mike." Then that probably means you know a little about me. You know what I do and have probably heard me speak. But even your use of a title for me doesn't necessarily mean you know me personally.

Sometimes I am called, "Mike." That means we are probably close. We're friends if you just call me, Mike.

But there are a couple of people on this planet who have reserved the right to call me by a very special name. These couple individuals are very dear to me. They call me "Daddy." They know me so much better than even those who call me, Mike. The name reveals intimacy.

What do you call God? Is He "The Big Guy Up In The Sky" to you? Is He "The Man Upstairs" to you? If that is the case, then you don't know him. Those may be funny, clever titles, but they aren't intimate.

If you know God you are going to be far more specific with him. Maybe you realize how big of a deal it is that God has forgiven you of your sins so you constantly refer to him as your "Savior."

Maybe you realize that everytime you have been in need, God has always come through for you, so you refer to him as "Provider."

Maybe, if you're a woman, you had a man in your life abandon you, so you might call him "Husband."

Maybe when you feel totally alone, you call him, "Friend."

What do you call God? Your answer may be a clue to how well you know him. Or don't.