We “sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.” This is Alcoholics Anonymous’ Step #11.
Some days it is harder to work this step than it is other days. Sometimes my body feels so heavy, my feet stuck in dried cement, my arms trying to swim through jello. With the physical sluggishness there is usually a mental fog, and an emotional block. When that condition sets in it is hard to think about Step #11. Keeping a conscious contact with God is hard under these circumstances.
King David gave me an idea (in AA it would be called “a suggestion”) as to what I can do when I can’t figure out how to stay in contact with God. When I cannot figure out what to pray or how to meditate, King David’s prayer can be ours, “Hallelujah! You who serve God, Praise God! Just to speak His name is praise!” [Psalm 113:1, The Message] Just speak His name. Just Speak His name. It’s just that simple. I can call out one, or some or many, of His names and my contact with God is renewed or maintained.
I looked it up (gotta love the internet). There are more than100 names of God listed on one website. A few of my favorites: Advocate, Deliverer, God, Jesus, Lord of Lords, Mighty Ruler, Physician, Refuge, Servant, Teacher, Wonderful Counselor, and the Word.
Wow! I can repeat God’s name(s), and by this simple action improve my conscious contact with God. Just speaking His name, acknowledges Him as supreme and as worthy of praise. When all my intellect, training, giftedness, or strength is not enough to shake the cement off my feet and sweep the cobwebs out of my head, I can just speak His name. There is an aspect of God, reflected in His many names, that meets me where I am.
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