What does it mean to call upon the Name of the Lord?

[Pugsly]

One of the recurring Biblical motifs is the idea of “calling upon the Lord”. For example, when St Paul was cured of blindness he was asked to call upon the Name of the Lord. However, Jesus says that not everyone who calls out “Lord…Lord” will be saved. The Bible also implies that the Natural world “looks” to God for sustanance…and a person can “fast…so as to make their voice heard on High”.
There seems to be a connection between physical need (the poor, the widow, the afflicted ones, the hungry animals…etc) who “cry out to God”…and…“calling on the Name of the Lord”. I believe that calling on the Name of Jesus is NOT done by merely calling out the syllables and mouthing the sound of His name. (In the book of Acts some tried this and were assaulted by demons who rebuffed their attempts at casting them out saying…“Jesus we know, Paul we know but who are you?”) The power is not in the letters…but in the Person of Jesus Christ who suffered greatly on this Earth.
Now if anyone showed how to live a life of need and physical trust in God the Father it was Jesus.

Therefore, is there a connection between physical need and calling on the Name of the Lord?

 

[Molokai_fire]

hi
Yes, there is certainly a connection. We are created both body and soul, and neither is master over the other. Humans are made not to deny one or the other aspect but to combine the two by using them according to their proper function at the appropriate time.
When appealing to God, only He sees the full and true circumstances of our physical and spiritual life and can therefore be relied on to make a fair judgement.
Your point on the natural world looking to God for sustenance is right, somehow. God is our Creator and therefore responsible for us, his creation, and when we cry out to God it is both physical ( the cry) and spiritual ( the appeal to a Higher power) and therefore the two must be intimately connected…
I wonder though, If God witholds blessings or help if he deems us lacking in physical need?

 

[Polycarp1]

I think part of it has to do with freewill. God created us with the will to choose which means that if we want something we have to ask, or in other words pray. To pray we need to have faith that He is there, and our motives sincere. On the otherhand my first real prayer started with "Okay, If there is a God… He managed to work with that as it was about all I could manage at the time!

 

[Pugsly]

hi
Yes, there is certainly a connection. We are created both body and soul, and neither is master over the other. Humans are made not to deny one or the other aspect but to combine the two by using them according to their proper function at the appropriate time.
When appealing to God, only He sees the full and true circumstances of our physical and spiritual life and can therefore be relied on to make a fair judgement.
Your point on the natural world looking to God for sustenance is right, somehow. God is our Creator and therefore responsible for us, his creation, and when we cry out to God it is both physical ( the cry) and spiritual ( the appeal to a Higher power) and therefore the two must be intimately connected…
I wonder though, If God witholds blessings or help if he deems us lacking in physical need?

Thank you for the thought-provoking response…I was thinking about how Jesus pointed out that the rich would have a difficult time getting into the Kingdom…Was it because their bodies don’t “cry out” to God?..and because (as He said of the Pharisees)…“these people honor me with their lips but their hearts are far from me”.

 

[Pugsly]

I think part of it has to do with freewill. God created us with the will to choose which means that if we want something we have to ask, or in other words pray. To pray we need to have faith that He is there, and our motives sincere. On the otherhand my first real prayer started with "Okay, If there is a God… He managed to work with that as it was about all I could manage at the time!

I believe your on to something…when you link “sincere” prayer…to this “calling upon the Lord”. The Lord loves singlular, honest hearts of Truth…as He said of Andrew…“here is a true Israelite…there is no duplicity in him”. Physical involvement in prayer via hardship or pain or suffering…or just worship…can make prayer more “real”.

 

[cap76]

I believe your on to something…when you link “sincere” prayer…to this “calling upon the Lord”. The Lord loves singlular, honest hearts of Truth…as He said of Andrew…“here is a true Israelite…there is no duplicity in him”. Physical involvement in prayer via hardship or pain or suffering…or just worship…can make prayer more “real”.

I agree.

Also Pugsly, your statement concerning our needs as it relates to the power of Jesus Christ is provocative (in a good way).
Consider these verses:

Romans 8.32, “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”

2 Corinthians 12.9, “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

Philipians 4.11-13, " I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

1 Corinthians 3.22-23, “all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.”