It’s Greek to Me

Bible Reading: Psalm 86:8-12

Elijah sat at the kitchen table tapping the screen of his tablet. “What are you doing?” asked his older sister, Bella.

“Our teacher at church gave us some homework,” Elijah explained. “He’s going to give a prize to whoever finds the most names for God used in the Bible, but I haven’t found very many.” Suddenly he brightened. “Hey, maybe you can help me. Don’t you learn that kind of stuff in Bible college?” Elijah looked hopefully at his sister. “Mr. Benson doesn’t care where we get our information, just that we learn.”

“Well, how about the Good Shepherd?” Bella asked. “Do you have that?”

“Nope!” Elijah eagerly wrote it down. “Can you think of any more?”

“There’s several in the New Testament,” said Bella. “In the book of John, Jesus talks about being the True Vine and the Door.”

“Oh yeah! I’ve already got some others from the book of John where Jesus says He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”

“Right!” Bella pulled out her phone to look up more verses. “Isaiah 9:6 mentions a lot of names for God. In that verse He’s called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace.”

Elijah was writing the names down as fast as he could. “Any others?” he asked.

Bella smiled. “How about Alpha and Omega?”

“Alpha and Omega?” Elijah asked doubtfully. Quoting an expression their mom often used when she didn’t understand something, he said, “That’s Greek to me!”

Bella laughed. “Those words are Greek, Elijah! Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters in the Greek alphabet. Used as names for Jesus, they mean He’s the beginning and the end of everything. He always was and always will be.”

“Cool!” said Elijah as he wrote Alpha and Omega on his paper.

“Yes, that is cool,” Bella agreed. “And it’s cool that God is everything the other names for Him suggest too. He’s our mighty God and our everlasting Father who loves us so much He sent His Son, Jesus, to be the door to eternal life and bring us peace.”

Elijah looked at his list, then smiled at his sister. “Thanks, Bella. If I win the prize at church, I’ll share it with you!”

-Lenora McWhorten

How About You?

How many of God’s names do you know? Think about what each one of them represents. For instance, a counselor is someone who can help you when you’re faced with a difficult situation, and God is called Wonderful Counselor, which means we can trust Him to help us and guide us through life’s difficulties. Learning the names of God and what they mean will help you understand who He is and how much He loves you.

Today’s Key Verse:
Jeremiah 10:6 Lord, there is no one like you! For you are great, and your name is full of power. (NLT)

Today’s Key Thought:

Learn who God is