Calling on the Lord

How to Call on the Name of the Lord

With an open mouth

When we call loudly with an open mouth we experience Psalm 81:7a, 10b. As we love the Lord with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30), we call upon Him with all of our being. The use of the word “wide” in Psalm 81:10 implies a strenuous exercise. Opening our mouth this way leads us into a richer experience of Christ.

With a pure heart

Second Timothy 2:22 indicates that we must pursue Christ “with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” This means we must call with a single motive. In our calling we simply want the person of Jesus Christ. This kind of calling takes Christ as the unique goal. A heart that is mixed had many goals, but we want to love the Lord Jesus above everything else. As we confess these other loves, our calling becomes more and more pure.

Corporately

“With those” are two critical words in 2 Timothy 2:22. As an isolated Christian we can call on the Lord but we were reborn to be a corporate people (like a flock of sheep with the shepherd, and a fish in its school). Our frequency, strength and enjoyment of calling on the Lord are all greatly enhanced when we call with other believers.

Daily

Any living thing requires daily organic care. Psalm 88:9 mentions our daily calling upon the Lord. This daily calling supplies, and cultivates this divine life living within us.

As long as we live

Calling on the Lord, like breathing in physical air is a necessary dependent function that we must continue “as long as we live.” (Psalm 116:2) We can never graduate from calling on the Lord just like we never grow out of breathing. We depend on the Lord every day by calling upon His name.

With a pure lip

Zephaniah 3:9 says we must “call on the Lord with a pure lip” (Heb.) In James 3 we see that our speech can produce bitter waters or sweet. When our speaking is loose then our calling is less. Loose lips contaminate a speech. We need to call on the Lord out of a pure lip or pure language.