I've just had a couple of men from the Jehovah's Witnesses call at the door. This is the first time since we've been here - nearly 6 years - that I've been door-knocked by this group. They are still banging on about the end of the world, and how to be saved (or safe) when it happens. They also have a preoccupation with knowing God's personal name - 'Jehovah' - but don't seem to understand that this anglicised name from the Hebrew, 'Yahweh', only appears in the King James' bible. They seem to think that it is the highest privilege to know God by his 'personal' name, but I would rather go with what Jesus said: "When you pray, say 'Our FATHER...'" Because I love God and know that he loves me, and because that love is mixed with respect, I would no more call God by his personal name - even if I knew it - than I would call my human father by his first name.
'Father' is so much more significant, because it is all about a loving relationship, whereas calling someone by their personal name may only denote acquaintance. (I wish I'd thought of that on the doorstep!!). Calling God 'Father' is the highest privilege as it implies we are in his family, children of the King of kings, and brothers and sisters with all his children. Not only that, but we are brothers and sisters of Jesus himself. The writer to the Hebrews says that Jesus is 'not ashamed to call us his family'.
Over the years I've learnt that you can't score points off the JWs - they are too indoctrinated with a particular way of thinking (and so are a few Christians!). I pray that they will come to know God in that personal and familiar way as Father as they encounter him through his Son Jesus.
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