Happy Wednesday everyone! Yes, we’re continuing to ask questions this week! Are you on a first-name basis with the Living God? God’s Word assures us He knows our name and, amazingly, He wants us to know His!

"Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, 'Indeed, has God said, "You shall not eat from any tree of the garden"?' The woman said to the serpent, 'From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, "You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.”' The serpent said to the woman, 'You surely will not die! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil'" (Gen 3:1-5). Throughout the entire Garden of Eden Narrative, the author has consistently referred to God by his personal covenantal name: YHWH Elohim (Gen 2:4-5, 7-9, 15-16, 18-19, 21-22; 3:1, 8-9, 13-14, 21-23 = 20 times!). The only place where God's personal name doesn't appear is in the serpent's dialogue with the woman. In the heat of temptation, God's personal name completely disappears and is replaced with a very generic, non-personal  title ("God"/"Elohim"). And that's exactly what happens when we are being tempted. We avoid thinking about our own personal relationship with God and start justifying our actions in the name of very generic spirituality. Friends, in moments when we are overwhelmed by the power of temptation, let us not forget the amazing fact that we are on a first-name basis with the living God of the universe. He knows our name! And because he loves us, we also know his! "The name of YHWH is a strong tower; The righteous runs into it and is safe" (Prov 18:10).

May you come to know the One who knows your name, and may you know His as you grow more intimate in your relationship with Him!