Identity Crisis?

But Moses protested, “If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?” God replied to Moses, “I am who i am. Say this to the people of Israel: I am has sent me to you.” God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: Yahweh, the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you. This is my eternal name, my name to remember for all generations. [Exodus 3.13-15]

When Jesus taught His disciples the Model Prayer, He instructed them to pray to God like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. [Matthew 6.9]

It occurred to me today that we largely refer to God in many different ways, but mostly not as YHWH (transliterated Yahweh or Jehovah). Why is this? Why is it that those who interpret the Bible translations more often translate YHWH with the words "the LORD" (LORD in small caps to denote it is YHWH)? Why not just put His name as it is in the ancient Hebrew texts? This is especially important because YHWH Himself said this is His eternal Name to be remembered for all generations!

I think we largely have an identity crisis as believers. If we don't know Who God is (beginning with His Name), how can we know who we are? And, if we don't know who we are, how can we ever fulfill Kingdom purpose with our lives?

Even if we begin to refer to God as YHWH, then we still must reconcile with Jesus' calling Him "Father." If Jesus (as God's Son) mostly called God "Father" then what are we to call God? If, in fact, we believe in the work of Jesus on our behalf, then, in saving faith, we also believe we have been made joint heirs with Jesus (in essence, becoming a brother to Jesus) and therefore positioned to call YHWH "Father" as well.

But then, even with Jesus teaching that we should call YHWH "Father" He also instructed us to pray, "may Your name be kept holy."

Father, it seems important today to know Your Name, YHWH, as You Yourself said this is Your eternal Name to remember for all generations. Help me to understand the significance of names all through the Bible!