LORD

You may not be aware of this in English Bible translations, but when you see the word LORD in all capital letters (though this does depend on translation) it usually means it is translating the Tetragrammaton, or the four-letter word which God revealed to be His Name, YHWH, blessed be His Name. English translators do this out of respect for the Name of God, so as to not overuse it. I think this is a mistake.

If you were to be reading in the original Hebrew, you would see His Name written. He chose that His Name be written down so that we would not forget It. He wants us to know His Name. By the same token, the fact that we often see LORD instead of YHWH actually lessens over time, as we rarely use the term lord anymore. Lord, as with all English words, change meaning over time. The only time I ever hear the word used outside of church or historical dramas is in the word “landlord”, which often leaves a bad taste in the mouth. In American culture, we has eschewed titles of nobility because we are all “free men!” So a title such as “lord” just doesn’t carry the same weight it used to.

But YHWH has never been used for any other purpose than the Name of God. It’s connotation has not been diminished by common usage. There are no little “yhwh’s”, no diminutive of the Name. It has and always will be the Name of God. Whether you pronounce it Yahweh or Yehowah (please, not Jehovah) is still a matter of how you insert vowels, but the Name is unchangeable. In it is the nature of an unchanging God, who still loves, cares, and helps. He is the Rock that cannot be moved.

If you need an anchor today, a Rock as your sure foundation, then you can’t go wrong with putting your faith and trust in YHWH. He not only made you, but formed you and molded you to to be the person you are today. He loves you, and despite the fact that others have harmed you, or you have harmed yourself, His love for you has not diminished. He does not consider you “unforgiveable.” Even though we are enemies of Him by our deeds and thoughts, He sent His Son to die for us. He reaches into the pool of history and calls out to us, “Take my hand! I can save you!” and it is up to us to choose to take His nail-scarred hand and be pulled to safety.

Dear Heavenly Father, My gracious and precious YHWH, You alone are great. You alone are worthy. You alone are God. By Your Holy Word, Jesus Christ, I am saved today, certain of my eternity because the God I trust in is certain. His promises are sure as stone. May my life fall aligned to Your Word and promise. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.