Encouragement for Today
August 17, 2026
Know His Name
Co-author of The Names of God
“The Lord passed in front of him and proclaimed: The Lord—the Lord is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth ...” (Exodus 34:6, CSB).
When we want to get to know someone, one of the first questions we ask is, “What’s your name?” Once we know someone very well, their name can extend beyond a label to describe likeness. (This is why my sister spotted a pink and red coat and declared, “That is so Caroline.”)
During their first interaction at the burning bush in Exodus 3, God had revealed one of His names to Moses: the Lord, which is our English way of referring to the divine name “I AM WHO I AM,” or as it’s sometimes transliterated, “Yahweh” or “Jehovah.”
Later, in a particularly dicey moment after God delivered His people from slavery in Egypt, Moses was desperate to know Him better. God said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim the name ‘the Lord’ before you” (Exodus 33:19, CSB). Now Moses would know God more deeply.
“The Lord passed in front of him and proclaimed: ‘The Lord—the Lord is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth, maintaining faithful love to a thousand generations ...’” (Exodus 34:6-7, CSB).
At that pivotal moment, God proclaimed His name by revealing His character: perfectly compassionate, gracious, slow to anger. Full of steadfast, unconditional love.
Do we truly know His name? In the moments when we question His compassion and grace, fear He’ll be quick to anger, or suspect His love is fleeting and conditional, we have a beautiful opportunity to pray like Moses, asking God to show us more of who He is. Lord, help us to better know Your name!
Exodus 34:7 describes God’s relationship with sin: “‘… forgiving iniquity, rebellion, and sin. But he will not leave the guilty unpunished, bringing the consequences of the fathers’ iniquity on the children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation’” (CSB).
He forgives it, and He punishes it. How does that work? As the story of the Bible unfolds, we will see.
Generations later, a baby was born. His parents were instructed to “name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21, CSB). Jesus means, “The Lord is salvation.”
This same Jesus would connect Himself with the divine name, saying in John 8:24, “for if you may not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins,” and in verse 28, “When you may lift up the Son of Man then you will know that I AM” (LSV).
Though Jesus “the Lord” stretches beyond label into likeness: the God of the universe, lifted up on a cross. Compassion and grace in the flesh. He could have responded in wrath but was slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, enduring excruciating shame and pain for others. Those who looked to Jesus, “the Lord is salvation,” would find their sin had been forgiven — because He’d endured the punishment.
To truly know the Lord’s name, look to Jesus. Through Him, we can know God deeply and intimately. And that changes everything.
Lord, show me more of You! Forgive me for knowing Your label without truly considering what You’re like. Help me exalt Your name above all others. In Jesus’ name, amen.
OUR FAVORITE THINGS
To deepen your knowledge of God and your relationship with Him through a study of His names, check out The Names of God: A Study on Who God Is and Who He Calls Us to Be.
ENGAGE
Connect with Caroline on Instagram @writercaroline, or check out her website WriterCaroline.com.
Enter to WIN your very own copy of The Names of God from Lifeway Christian Resources. To celebrate this book, Lifeway will give away 5 copies! Enter to win by filling out the form here. {We’ll randomly select 5 winners and notify them via email by Monday, August 24, 2026.}
FOR DEEPER STUDY
Philippians 2:9-11, “… God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow—in heaven and on earth and under the earth—and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (CSB).
Why is Jesus’ name above every name? (You may want to read more of Philippians 2.)
In your everyday life, what does it look like to exalt the Lord’s name? Share with us in the comments!
© 2026 by Caroline Saunders. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 31 Ministries thanks Lifeway Christian Resources for their sponsorship of today’s devotion.
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