By Briana Bass, Christian Romance Author, Devotional Writer & Certified Professional Coach

Some people are named after family members. Some are named after their parents’ favorite fictional characters. Some change their name because the name given at birth doesn’t fit them anymore.

Names have power. What we call people matters. Someone’s name can tell you a lot about them. Bob is a completely different person from Robert. The last name Rodriguez implies a family heritage different from MacDonald.

Our Biblical ancestors emphasized names. Abram and Sarai became Abraham and Sarah when they entered into the covenant with God. Jesus changed Simon’s name to Peter. And Jesus? Well, Jesus is known by many names: Immanuel, Jehovah, Prince of Peace. God has many names, yet there are two that best describe Him.

A Rose by Any Other Name

The most important name you will ever be called is Child of God. But what do you call God? God has many names in the Bible, each with a unique meaning. You probably don’t use most of them. When was the last time you called God El Shaddai or Adonai? Likely not recently, if ever.

We typically call God, well, God. It’s simple and to the point. It paints a picture of a faraway deity, high in the cosmos, with very little interaction with us.

That doesn’t sound like God, does it? Because God is so much more than an all-powerful, distant entity. God is our friend and parent. Do you call God friend or father? Jesus specifically tells us that God is our Father and we are encouraged to call Him that: “And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven” (Matthew 23:9 KJV).

Approaching our relationship with God as a child to a parent evokes a sense of unconditional love with a side of discipline for our own good. God the Father becomes someone we can and want to talk to, someone who we know wants the best for us. And yet, God is so much more than a parental figure.

What a Friend We Have in Jesus

In John 15:14, Jesus tells the disciples, “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you” (KJV). For those of us who follow Jesus, we can call Him a friend!

A friend listens and offers advice. A friend is loyal and dependable. Doesn’t that sound like Jesus? He’s not just our Savior, He’s our best friend. When we talk to Him, we should do so in the same way we talk to our earthly friends – without reservation or hesitation.

It may sound a little strange to list Jesus in our friend group. But if you put aside our human definitions of friendship, which can be limiting, and embrace a relationship with Christ, you’ll find that no other friend can compare. That’s not a slight on our human friends – they are pretty cool – but the friendship Jesus offers is incomparable.

What’s in a Name?

God is both friend and parent, a powerful combination of love and approachability. God names us His children, part of a divine royal family. Since Jesus is the Son of God, we can call Christ our brother as well as our friend. He has so many names that express His character and “friend” encompasses them all.

The next time you talk to God, think about the names you use to address Him. Do those names align with the relationship you have with God? Do those names match the image you have of God? If they don’t, try calling God by a different name. You may be surprised by how much power there is in a name!