Happy Easter :)

Today we talked about zombie-Lazarus in church. The pastor gave a really cool message starting with the resurrection of Lazarus, and then the part of the Bible where Jesus says "Before Abraham was born, I AM." And about how they were gonna stone him and stuff, and then about the story of how God got the name "I AM" in the first place. The pastor emphasized the part where God says "This will be my name *forever*".

I have been struggling for some time with symbolism. I know that Jesus loosened up the rules for us a lot when he died, but back then they wouldn't even say God's name because it was 'too holy' and 'too powerful'. Isn't it equally powerful and holy now? When the Bible says "don't use the Lord's name in vain" I think it means, "use the Lord's name only in emergencies". That is... your instinct might be to say "it's not in vain if we're using His name to praise Him," but I'm proposing that we shouldn't do that.

They sing a song in the church that I attend with the lyrics "We love to shout your name, Yaweh". I've always skipped over that part, because I know that God hears us, and if He told us that He only wants us to use His name in emergencies, and if we are God's image in parts of our personality, then he probably tunes people out who talk too much. The Bible even says "Do not babble vain words, as the nations. For they think that in their much speaking they shall be heard. Therefore do not be like them, for your Father knows what things you have need of, before you ask Him."

So basically God knows what we need before we ask, so we can keep our prayers short and concise. However, we should still keep the right (broken/contrite/whatever else) heart when we pray. God deserves all the respect and humbleness we can muster.

But anyway, back on topic... long-story-short, I came to the decision that the name, in Hebrew, by which God calls himself in Exodus 3:14, "I AM THAT I AM" is the name for God. I know this might not be the most well researched conclusion, but I'm gonna kinda try to memorize it. From a few passages in Romans I gather that what's holy to one person isn't necessarily holy to another. That's to say that it doesn't matter if I'm wrong. God will honor my efforts to respect him, and without seeming too judgmental, I think other people should make some things more sacred, too. Maybe not necessarily a name, but it seems to me that names are kindof important.... oh well..

"I struggle with the feeling that my life isn't mine."