A Tiny Story About Being Heard
When my son was born, the doctors didn’t realize that his
hearing was below normal. Because he couldn’t hear clearly, he also learned to
speak very late. At first, people struggled to understand him. Except me.
Being alone in a new country, with no family around, we
spent every moment together. Communication between us meant he knew I heard
him, I understood him, and I would respond to his call. That assurance mattered
far more than the words themselves.
Later, as his hearing improved, he learned to speak clearly,
and everyone could understand him.
But the truth I keep returning to has stayed the same: the purpose
of our communication wasn’t through our words. It was in his confidence that I
would hear him because I loved him. As a baby and a toddler, I imagine he never
doubted that fact.
That is how it is with the name of God. Calling on His name isn’t about perfect pronunciation or repetition. It’s about calling on a Person who hears, who understands and who responds.
That assurance and that trust;
that is the real power.
The Name of Jesus in the New Testament
The New Testament explicitly connects the name of Jesus with
salvation and authority.
“There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
Salvation is inseparable from His name.
His name also carries authority over evil: “In my name they
will cast out demons” (Mark 16:17). Paul writes that “at the name of Jesus
every knee should bow” (Philippians 2:10). His name represents recognized lordship,
both spiritual and universal.
And in prayer, Jesus promises, “Whatever you ask in my name,
this I will do” (John 14:13). To ask in His name is to approach God under His
authority, trusting the relationship He has secured. Again, the power is not in
the sound, but it is in the Person we call upon, and in our confidence that we
call on Him who hears us.
The Name of the LORD (YHWH) in the Old Testament
The Old Testament speaks similarly about the name of the
LORD. YHWH.
Moses says, “I will proclaim the name of the LORD” (Deuteronomy 32:3).
The more I study the old testament, the more I am able to see Jesus in it. This is because the more I understand God's character, the more I relate to the fact that His name meant character, authority, reputation, presence and covenant identity. To
know God’s name was to know who He had revealed Himself to be.
There is power in the name of YHWH because His name
represents His faithful presence.
The Theological Connection
The New Testament draws a direct connection between Jesus
and YHWH. Philippians 2:9–11 says God “highly exalted Him and gave Him the name
above every name,” echoing Isaiah 45:23, where every knee bows to the LORD.
Early Christians understood the weight of this. To confess
Jesus as Lord was to recognize that He shares in the divine identity of YHWH.
Calling on Jesus’ name is calling on the LORD Himself and with the assurance
that He hears and has authority to answer.
Hebrew Names of God
Scripture gives us many names of God. We are not expected to use them as mystical
chants, but as expressions of assurance and a way to call on Him with
confidence.
I don’t speak Hebrew.
Not fluently and not at all. And yet, reading names like El Roi or YHWH Rapha invites me into reflection. Maybe because English is not my heart
language, the Hebrew sounds, resonates with my eastern heart. These names help me focus on
God’s character, His presence and His faithfulness.
The Hebrew isn’t powerful by itself. The power is in the
Person it points to.
It’s like learning a private language with someone you know very well. The words matter because of the relationship they express, not because of their sound.
Returning to the Beginning
When my son was small, he never hesitated before calling for
me. His words may have been unclear, but his trust was not. He called because
he knew I was there. He did not rely on his ability to speak. He relied on our relationship.
And yet the God we call upon is not merely gentle. He is the
LORD who revealed Himself to Moses in fire, who split the sea and who made the
mountains tremble. This majestic LORD of the Old Testament is not distant. He is not
unapproachable. The One whose voice thunders over creation also hears the quiet
cry of a human heart.
When you speak the name of Jesus, you are not reaching into
the dark. You are calling on the living God; holy, sovereign and eternal. He
who has made Himself known invites you to trust Him.
Perhaps the question is not whether the name is powerful, but whether you are
willing to trust the One who bears it. A child calls because he knows he is
loved.
The God who commands the seas hears every whisper of your heart. The One who bore your sins on the cross leans close, understands and receives the secret language of your heart.
Will you call to Him today?
Lovely!
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