The Name... the Only Name

What's in a name? I've been pondering this question as a group of us are grappling with finding a name for our church women's Bible study. I do know God places great value on names in His Word. And I recall the times He renamed some of His choicest servants, because their new nature required a new name. Just to name a few: Abram to Abraham (Gen. 17:5-6 "No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you." This, when Abraham was 99 years old and had no biological child with his equally ancient wife Sarah! Such is our God--He calls into being that which is not and He does the humanly impossible but God effortlessly accomplished!) Simon to Peter (John 1:42 "He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, 'So you are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas (which means Peter)." And he became Peter or the "Rock" upon which Jesus would build His church. Mt.16:18) Or Saul to Paul (Acts 13:9 The great persecutor of Christ becomes the great apostle of Christ and brought the Gospel to all us Gentiles.)

So names matter to our Father. But the Lord has convicted me that in all my focus and preoccupation with finding a Bible study name, I've lost sight of THE NAME. His Glorious Name. His omnipotent, omniscient, sovereign Name. The Name that is above every name, and the Name to which one day every creature and every person will bow down. His Name brings conviction and comfort and companionship and courage. His Name divides... and unites. His Name declares judgment... and forgiveness. His Name is righteous wrath... and undeserved mercy and amazing grace.

Early this morning I read: "and those who know Your Name put their trust in You, for You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You." (Ps.9:10) And (one of my favorites): "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the Name of the Lord our God." (Ps.20:1) And "With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. And you will say in that day: 'Give thanks to the Lord, call upon His Name. make known His deeds among the peoples, proclaim that His Name is exalted.' (Is.12:3-4)

Isn't it just our selfish, prideful tendency to somehow or other make everything about ourselves and our desires? Boy, give me, and my will, a foot, and my prideful self will take a mile! But it's not all about us. It's all about Him and His glorious Name. It's about what He has done for us in Christ Jesus. It's about our Creator and Sustainer and Redeemer and Savior. It's about Him and His Name.

So today, in what are you trusting? Seriously, think about it. Are we trusting in our intellects, our bank accounts, our gifts and abilities, our families or friends, our health, our nation, our leaders, our church attendance, our goodness? None of those are bad things. In fact, they are all good things, some truly great things... but they are all unworthy of our absolute trust. Only in Him. Only in His glorious Name must we place our ultimate and complete trust.

Only His Name must be exalted with our actions, with our words, with our lives.

I have no earthly idea what our Bible study will be called! But, you know, I'm not all tied up in a knot about it anymore, because He's reminded me that only One Name truly matters and must be magnified. Get that Name right and everything else will fall into place! So to The Name that is above every name, our Glorious God, our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, be all the glory.