“An American Concoction”
October 15, 2021
I was disappointed to be told, on my first day of Spanish class in my freshman year of high school, that my name, Sheryl, was an “American concoction”. My teacher was giving each student the Spanish counterpart to their English name, and when she got to me she was stumped. According to her, my name was an “American concoction”, so she assigned me a random Spanish name for the rest of the year. How disappointing to not be called by my real name, and how disappointing that in that class, my real name had no meaning!
A quick check on Spanish translators in 2021, still renders the name Sheryl as having ‘no direct translation’. My concocted name does not instill much inspiration, confidence, or trust.
Fortunately, this is not the case when it comes to the names of God! God’s names in the Old Testament, all have direct translations from Hebrew to English, and His names provide confidence in Him and great encouragement during our times of trial and testing.
The name of the Lord is a strong tower;
the righteous man runs into it and is safe.–Proverbs 18:10
In ancient times, a name expressed a person’s nature and individual attributes. Thus, God’s name represents His essential character and authority. One aspect of God’s nature is that He is a strong, high tower offering a citadel of safety capable of holding off every hostile attack. Into this tower, the righteous— those who are made right with God through a relationship with Jesus Christ, can run and hide, safely guarded above all danger,
2from the end of the earth I call to you
when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, 3 for you have been my refuge,
a strong tower against the enemy.–Psalm 61:2
The Lord’s name signifies everything that God is in Himself—His compassion, lovingkindness, mercy, grace, power, judgment, holiness, perfection, knowledge, and more. As Elohim, He is Creator; as Yahweh, He is the covenant-keeping, eternal I AM; as Jehovah Jireh, He is our Provider. He is the Good Shepherd, who leads, guides, and protects; He is the Lamb of God, who lays down His life for us; He is Jesus, the Incarnate Son and Christ the Risen Lord; and He is the eternal, glorious, highly exalted, King of Heaven!
As we discover more and more what God has revealed about His character, we can trust in Him. Everyone who knows and trusts in Him discovers that He is indeed a strong tower and certainly not an American concoction, or concoction of any sort!
I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”–Psalm 91:2
And those who know your name put their trust in you,
for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.–Psalm 9:10