Into the Flip Side

Genesis 4:26 "And a son was also born to Seth, whom he named Enosh. At that time people began to worship the Lord. NET

"To seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the Lord." ESV

"And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the Lord." NKJV

As you can see, translations (and commentaries) translate this verse differently. For our purposes in understanding communication with God, the emphasis I want to make is that here the observation is made that people began to call on the name of the Lord.

Commentators state that during this time a couple of things were happening. A. there was and had been a continuing turning away from God and to other things. Peoples focus was not on God. B. there seemed to be a division taking place where people were referring to themselves as sons of men and not sons of God. they were breaking into groups and there became a need to make it known that you were one who called on the name of the Lord and not other idols.

Adam Clarks commentary especially focuses on this issue, he states:

"The marginal reading is, Then began men to call themselves by the name of the Lord; which words are supposed to signify that in the time of Enos the true followers of God began to distinguish themselves, and to be distinguished by others, by the appellation of sons of God; those of the other branch of Adam's family, among whom the Divine worship was not observed, being distinguished by the name, children of men."

so it could be said that in worship, name, and prayer people were now declaring themselves God's people. And when I say "declaring" I mean not for name sake but more in practice. People were making decisions to be a people focused on being sons of the one true God, creator and not of the things of the world.

so even though there is a difference in translation there is unity in the overall theme. What ever it means to "call on the name of the Lord" the point of this verse seems to be there was a decision made to worship, or call on the Lord.

so I want to transition now to how that relates to us. many times through out history there has been this idea of a mass Turing back to God (revival).

I think I need this. I am a follower of God, through Christ, and by His grace I am a son of God. In practice I have a lot of things that I put in the place of God however.

I need to call upon the name of the Lord. In worship, prayer, and practice.

I will not bore you with a list of things that I have put in place of God in the hopes that it would bring me happiness/contentness only to find that by turning away from the light it has only caused more darkness.

I need, we need, to call on the name of the Lord today, right now, while He is calling us. I need desperately to have the light of the World shine throughout my entire being, to break me, to heal me, to renew me, to save me, to claim me, to love me, to transform me.