God or Jehovah?

Psalm 18:3
The `Praised One' I call Jehovah, And from my enemies I am saved.

David calls God Jehovah. Apparently other people called Him “Praised One”. There was something different about David’s name for God, Jehovah, that couldn’t be found in the term “Praised One” and I think there is a lesson in this for us all.

We live in a church age where it seems that God’s true nature has been overlooked, as indicated by the trend to substitute His definitive name for others like Praised One, praise worthy, or just plain old God. While He is and always will be worthy of praise, that is not what or who God is at all. The word Jehovah means more than just the politically correct, somewhat generic “God”. It [Jehovah] encompasses who He is, Creator, with what He does, saves; Jehovah is the creating savior. He is always with us, always creating, and continually saving (Psalm 46:1, Hebrews 13:5, Deuteronomy 31:6, Joshua 1:5, Revelation 21:5).

That being the case, there needs to be a correction in our thinking, in our understanding of who God is and what He is doing, did, and will do. For far too long now there has been an attitude among believers that the cross gets us into heaven, where we’ll finally be saved, but life still stinks. This belief that “I’ll have my healing when...” has allowed the Devil a loophole back into the lives of Christ followers. How?

Christ Himself told us that what we hold true on earth, He will hold true in heaven (Matthew 16:19). If we believe we’re eventually going to be saved, but for now we have to suffer, then according to the word of Christ Himself, that is what will happen. If, however, we believe that the sacrifice Christ made on the cross was for us now, on earth as well as after death, imagine the difference that will make in our lives. Jesus said “It is finished!” (John 19:30) when He died on the cross. Take note that He didn’t say “It will be finished.” or “It is almost finished.” Why then do we continue to live as though it isn’t finished?

David knew God as Savior. Not only that, David understood how God was working in his life. He realized that God was a present tense savior, not an eventual savior, and he boldly proclaimed it. When I look at the church and see people burdened with disease, depression, and addictions with the hope that maybe someday they’ll be healed, I’m sad. I want to scream out that Christ already healed us. He didn’t just take on our sins; He restored our lives, renewed our spirits, and gave us peace. Speak the Word, proclaim the truth, “from my enemies I am saved!”