Exodus 4 and 5 both share hard stories. Moses’ incredible fear of leading and God’s grace and mercy with him. The people’s suffering under their slave masters and their groaning. I can relate to so much here.

I thought that as we enter into the Lenten season this week (Ash Wednesday is the 2nd of March), we would spend a week in the lament Psalms. Psalms that cry out, groan, scream at injustice.

The Lord wants us to bring our whole selves- even the messy crying and grief.

Read Psalm 44

• Each day we will ask only one question: As you sit with this Psalm, what do you want to say to the Lord?

Spend some time this morning thanking God for each of the names that we looked at this week, all the pieces of His character that are revealed through these names.

If you would be interested in learning more of the names of God, the Navigators have this online resource that you can request to be sent to your email:

Read Exodus 17:8-16

• What name of God do we learn about today?
• What do you come to understand about this name from this portion of scripture?

The Red Letter Bible explains it this way: “Moses, recognizing that the Lord was Israel’s banner under which they defeated the Amalekites, builds an altar named Jehovah-Nissi (the Lord our Banner). Nes is sometimes translated as a pole with an insignia attached. In battle opposing nations would fly their own flag on a pole at each of their respective front lines. This was to give their soldiers a feeling of hope and a focal point. This is what God is to us: a banner of encouragement to give us hope and a focal point.”

• How do you set God up daily as a focal point in your own life?
• How do you see Riverside using this focus as a body?
• What is one practical way you could lift up this banner over your life this next week?

Read Exodus 15:26

Though we have not made it here yet on Sunday mornings, in this verse God is revealed as Jehovah Rapha- the healer.

Read Isaiah 53:4-5

• How have you seen God heal physically?
• What about mental healing?
• Spiritual healing?
• Emotional healing?

Read all of Isaiah 53

A prophecy about Jesus and His sacrifice so that we could be healed and brought to reconciliation with the Father.

Where do you want healing today? Talk to the Lord about this right now.

El Shaddai is our name to focus on today: Christianity Today explains, Translated as the “Almighty God”, El is another name translated as God and Shaddai derives from the Hebrew word for Mountain. In the Bible, mountains often refer to nations, so El Shaddai reveals that our God is God of the nations. There is no place where he is not Lord, and no place is too far from his presence; he has total authority. In Genesis 17 when God promises Abraham that he and Sarah will have a child, he reassures Abraham of his authority by saying: “I AM El Shaddai.”

Read the following references in Genesis to this name and jot down what you glean:

• Genesis 17:1
• Genesis 28:3
• Genesis 35:11
• Genesis 43:14
• Genesis 48:3

Listen to this song and just spend some time reflecting:

In Genesis 22 which we read last month, Abraham calls God “Jehovah Jireh” – the God who provides, when He provides the ram in the thicket to be sacrificed instead of his son, Isaac.

John 1:29 refers to Jesus as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world”- He has come to be the sacrifice instead of you and I.

The very first thing that God wants to provide for you is Himself- a relationship with Him made possible through the death and resurrection of Jesus. He is our Provider- our Jehovah Jireh.

• How did you first experience this? Spend some time remembering.
• Who could you share this story with this week?
• How, since then, have you seen God to be your provider?

If you are wondering if you have ever asked God to provide for you in this way, if you have ever experiences salvation, please reach out to one of our pastors or leaders- they would love to talk to you.

In Genesis 1:1 we get introduced to God as Elohim: mighty, strong, prominent- the creator God.

Read Psalm 19:1-14

• What stands out to you from these verses?
• If God is indeed the supreme creator of everything we see around us, how does that impact His laws that are given to us?
• How do you feel about the way that God created you?
• How does God calling Himself mighty, creator, and strong impact your life and circumstances today?
• Where do you need God to be mighty today? Spend some time praying and talking to Him about this.