What’s in a name? I told my high school students that their characters would be revealed and recalled through their names. Thus, each one needed to make sure that his or her name was not associated with the Public Record or behaviors like dishonesty and immoral actions. I confronted a senior about seeing her name in the Public Record and told her the next time I saw her name in print, it had better be for something good. It was—employee of the month, where she worked. She got a letter from me, congratulating her. She came to see me before I retired and told me she would keep her name clean, and I would only hear and see good things regarding her name and, thus, her character.

In distinct contrast to man who struggles daily in an attempt to maintain a good character, God’s character is  defined by goodness. The various aspects of God’s character are revealed through the many names He has been given that designate the multiplicity  of His being. The name “El Shaddai, Lord God Almighty,” shows us that God is powerful and sufficient for ALL our needs. We cannot meet our needs on Amazon, Google, Wikipedia, Craigslist, Wal-Mart, or Facebook. Someone added this third entry into the time frame of the historical calendar as seemingly significant in rank and importance: BC (before Christ), AD (Anno Domini–In the Year of our Lord Jesus Christ), and then BG (Before Google). Although Google can anticipate aspects of our interests ahead of our fingers fully typing in the words from cache records of our prior searches, IT does not KNOW us, neither can it be ever-present with us, nor can it fulfill our needs- and it certainly cannot control the elements.

Only God, the Almighty, can truly know us: Psalm 139:1-2 (1) You have searched me, LORD, and you know me (2) You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
Only God, the Almighty, is everywhere at all times: Psalm 139:7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
Only God, the Almighty, can meet our every need, even those we do not express: Matthew 6:7-8 (7) And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. (8) Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Only God, the Almighty, can control the elements–earth, water, air (wind), fire: Psalm 148:8 . . . lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding . . . Jeremiah 10:13 When he thunders, the waters in the heavens roar; he makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth. He sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses.

EL SHADDAI, LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, is all-knowing, ever-present, ever-sufficient, and all-powerful. When we recognize our own insufficiencies, concede the deficiencies of any man-made creations and, then, fully acknowledge that He is all we need, we begin our journey toward knowing EL SHADDAI.

                                                We worship an awesome, Almighty God!
(Sharon G. Tate blog 04/12/15) teacherforjesus.com Meditations on God’s Word