El Shaddi

In small group we have been studying the names of God. Let me just tell you how great it has been. It was been so neat to walk through the three names we have already studied....the names of God truly reveal His true character and amazing power.

Monday night was El Shaddai which translates into God Almighty. This name can been seen throughout scripture 48 times.....31 times in Job, 8 in Revelation, and the rest are scattered throughout.

The first occurrence of El Shaddai can be found in Genesis 17:1. We studied Abram's journey to become Abraham and how God truly revealed His might and power through this. I learned so much Monday night but something really struck a chord with me.....here is what it is....

"God gives Himself to us, just in the measure as we give ourselves to Him."

Wow....what a powerful truth.

This really convicted me. How many times do I not yield everything to Him, do I hold on to the things that I want to control, the things that I am afraid of letting go of? How often to I let the distractions in my life keep me from seeing how He's working.....I mean, Do I even take the time to slow down, get still, to recognize what He's doing?

Well friends, we will only receive His sweet promises if we yield to Him.

Now for me yielding to Him can be more of a struggle. But the truth is He knows what's best and His plan is picture perfect. I mean I have a book full of His promises and truths that tell me this.

And hello Joy....God is not more of a taker than He is a giver. He wants to give me the best....that's what He has in mind for me...not second string....His best....that sweet promise alone should be enough to rest in.

This got me thinking....do I have faith to yield myself to God? I want to believe that I do but you know what..... I'm just going to be honest...there are days when I don't want to. There are days when I want what I think is best for me, days when I want to fight God so hard for not giving me what I think is best, days when I just flat out don't want to trust that He has my best interest in mind....can anyone relate?

But you know what...as long as I am full of self will and self confidence I will never understand El Shaddai because I won't need what is being offered to me. How can I see the true power of El Shaddai if I don't allow Him to reveal it to me in my very own life?

So today I praying for me and you that we would allow God to reveal His true power to us, that we would yield our plan and let God reveal His perfect plan to us.

Psalm 18:30 "As for God His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him."