Day 14 "O Yahweh" - Prophets Meet Directly with the Living God

For the last few months, I have been making a conscious effort to call upon the Name of God, Yahweh in prayer. Whenever I call out His Name, it helps me to stay focus on God Himself.

Today, we continue with our overview study on how the prophets pray in the Old Testament.

The prophets have a very intimate relationship with God. They truly know God as "Yahweh", the Living God.

Here is a  list of some of the prayers that are found in the Prophetic books. This will give you a clear picture that the prophets do address God by His Name when they enter into God's presence to pray.  I will only quote verses where they begin their prayers.

I want you to capture the pattern that the prophets of old frequently call God's Name when they enter into  prayer: O Yahweh!

Isaiah

Isaiah 33:2

Yahweh, be gracious to us; we log for you

Jeremiah

Jer 5:3

Yahweh, do not your eyes look for truth?

Jer 10:23

Yahweh, I know that people's lives are not their own . . .

Jer 12:1

You are always righteous, Yahweh . . .

Jer 14:13

"Alas, Sovereign Yahweh!  The prophets keep telling them . . .

Jer 18:19

Listen to me, Yahweh . . .

Jer 20:7

You deceived me, Yahweh, and I was deceived.

Jer 32:17

"Ah Sovereign Yahweh, you have made the heavens and the earth.

Ezekiel

Eze 4:14

"Not so, Sovereign Yahweh!  I have never defiled myself.

Eze 20:49

"Sovereign Yahweh . . .

Hosea

Hos 9:14

Give them, Yahweh - what will you give them?

Joel

Joel 1:19

To you, Yahweh, I call . . .

Amos

Amos 7:2

Sovereign Yahweh, forgive!

Jonah

Jonah 4:2

Isn't this what I said, Yahweh, when I was still at home?

Habakkuk

Hab 1:2

How long, Yahweh, must I call for help . . .

Hab 1:12

Yahweh, are you not from everlasting?

Hab 3:2

Yahweh, I have heard of your fame.

Know this: The prophets are very conscious of the fact that when they call "O Yahweh" - they are MEETING DIRECTLY with God.

Just like when we call a friend on the phone, we know we are talking directly to that person when we get connected on the phone. If we were not wanting to talk to that friend, we would not call him/her. After we greet each other by names, we start chatting.

Often times, in prayers, we fail to connect with God before we start talking to God. We don't even call on God and we start mumbling our prayers. By habit, we already know what we want to say most of the time as soon as we close our eyes. We have 'created' for ourselves a little "comfortable prayer ritual' -- we had forgotten that the most important thing in prayer: to MEET DIRECTLY with our Living God.

Application:

So when you pray tonight, quiet down to prepare yourself to meet with God.  Call on God's Name "Yahweh" to meet with Him.

When you pray, "O Yahweh", remember: you are meeting directly with the Living God.

This means:

1. Prepare yourself to meet with God.

2. Call on God's Name – Yahweh

3. "Turn" your full attention to God.

4. Stand before His presence.

5. Be present to meet with the Living God.

Conclusion

I am now very excited for you.  Once you have learned these spiritual principles laid out for you in this book, this will transform your prayer life.  You now know what it means to enter into God's presence.  You have the key to tap into the depth of prayer - to meet with the Living God, Yahweh.