Dear Lighthouse,
What’s in a name? Have you noticed that in today’s culture we love to rename ourselves?
Many people where I work have one or two nicknames – some I use and some I cannot out of respect for God! In the ‘.com’ world many of us have special login names or online identities. Even some, like me, have weird names for their e-mail addresses. I guess many people like to take the opportunity to make a personal statement about themselves or another
by giving these new names. Sometimes this is good; sometimes it’s bad. But your name is a very important thing. It
always has been.
A name can
define a person. Take the following names; what is your first thought at the
mention of each one: Jezebeel, Hitler, Goliath, or even Moses, Rocky, Jesus. (I bet the last three have never been grouped together before!) Anyway, each name makes you think of or feel something about that person.
Proverbs puts it this way, “A good name is more desirable than great riches…”
(Prov. 22:1a) I agree. When I was
growing up I knew that my actions reflected not only on myself but on my family’s name.
This is something I have tried to instill in my boys. They carry my name
with them wherever they go. They represent me as I represented my dad when I
grew up. So it is with God’s family.
You see,
we all were, at one time, outside of God’s Family. In fact our hearts and
minds were “hostile to God” (Rom. 8:7).
But through the calling of His Spirit we came to know Him and by our faith and belief in His Son an opportunity was
opened for us to be adopted into the very Family of God. Paul writes, “In Him [Jesus] and through faith in Him [Jesus] we may approach God with freedom and confidence….For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom His whole
Family in heaven and on earth derives its name.” (Eph. 3:12-15) Do you see that? Through Jesus God has
established a family on earth for us to be a part of. And He calls us each “by name” to enter into it, like a shepherd calls his sheep (John 10:3). He already knows our strengths and weaknesses, but He extends the invitation to all
of us to come.
So what
are the benefits to being in God’s Family? Immeasurable! Just look at what Paul writes to the Galatians about this: “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were
baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ…..If you belong to Christ, then you are Abrahams seed, and
heirs according to the promise.” (Gal. 3:26-29) He goes on to say, “So you are no longer a slave, but a son;
and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.” (Gal. 4:7) An heir to what? To God’s Kingdom,
to access to the Father, to life eternal in heaven. Sound good? You see all those that put their faith in Jesus gain the Father.
“…that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,
and that by believing you may have life in His Name.” (John 20:31)
What’s
in a name? Salvation.
But that’s
not the whole story. Like I mentioned before, having the Name of God marking
your life is more than just a title, it is a way of life. It comes with certain
expectations and responsibilities. We are to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and
Savior. Complete obedience and conversion requires we accept Him as both. Peter instructs us to “grow in the grace
and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (II Pet. 3:18) In other words, we need to live up to the Name.
Paul urges us on to “live a life worthy of the calling we have received.” (Eph. 4:1)
So, that’s
my challenge to you – and to me. Are we living up to the Family Name? Have you moved from an enemy of God to God’s child in your heart? Have you submitted to Jesus as Savior and Lord of your life? Are you growing in knowledge of Him daily through Bible study? Are you connecting with the Head of the Family through prayer? Have
you denied yourself this week for the sake of the Name which you now bear?
These are tough
questions. But this is how we grow. This
is what we are here for – to carry on the Family Name until Dad comes home again.
Paul gives a charge to the Christians at Rome that I want to share with you.
It’s lengthy, but man it’s good:
“Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation – but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to
it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the
Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of
God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but
you received the Spirit of sonship. And by Him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ,
if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory.”
(Rom. 8:12-17)
Wow. What encouragement; what a challenge! Here we see that because
we’re in the Family we do not need to fear judgment – our sin is covered by Christ. But we see that since we are in the Family we have the obligation to snuff out the sin and live for the
Father. This is the attitude that will ultimately see us through life’s
trials and lead us heavenward.
So, how about
it, brothers and sisters, are you up for the challenge of a lifetime? To be sure
it will take a lifetime of commitment to live up to the Family Name. What kind
of character will be revealed in you along the way? I often wonder about that
in my own life. You see, we’re not the only ones that pick out our nicknames.
God will too.
Remember
Jesus gave the Apostle Peter a new name. Based on Peter’s confession of
faith in Jesus as the Christ, Jesus calls Peter “the Rock” – from the word petra. (see Matt. 16) Peter’s nickname fit him. He was a rock in the faith to the end.
How about you? If Jesus were to pick a nickname for you, what name would He pick? What would characterize your life? Guess what, the way I read
it, Jesus will do just that. “To
him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him
a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.”
(Rev. 2:17 also see Rev. 3:12)
What will that
new name be? It haunts me. But it
motivates me too. I encourage you all to live up to the Name this week. May all of us in the Lighthouse be of one mind as we lift up holy hands to glorify
our Father in heaven. As we work on our ‘new name’ may we ever lift
up His Name in the most highest esteem. For “there
is no other Name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved”. (Acts
4:12) Praise God and may He be glorified by us each day.
May God bless your family’s
name,
Evan
