To Whom am I to pray? To whom am I to communicate? With whom am I to commune?
- Islam prays to الله Allāh,
- Judeo Christians to YHWH/God,
- Christians to Jesus,
- Hinduism to Shiva, Brahma, and Indra,
- The list of names used to address God is longer than the total number of languages which have existed.
As a follower of Christ, I find that I can use any of the the names and descriptors found in the Old Testament (TaNaK) and the New Testament referring to the Most High. There are seven names in the TaNaK and seven from the New Testament that are of special note and occur most frequently, with YHWH occurring over 6000 time in the Old Testament. As I consider these names, I am aware that the description and definitions participate with each other at times and separate into particulars. It is as if the description and qualities relating to the Most High are beyond the containment of a handful of human words.
The most common 14 names are:
- Hebrew
- Greek
Getting to know the names of God causes us to come face to face with that which is totally other. From a name like YHWH, which many hesitate to even pronounce with unclean lips to Ἀββά ὁ πατήρ, Abba Father, a term latent with all the endearment a child can have for a father. Knowing and considering the names of God opens prayer life to new possibilities.
Greek
Additional Names
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