Morning Moments

HIS NAME'S SAKE

Have you ever done anything that cost you more than you thought you could afford just for "your name's sake"? In other words you did it because to not do it would have brought shame to your honorable name, so you went the extra mile, so to speak, and did it as an honorable thing to do. Of course, not all of us would do that because not all of us understand that a "good name is rather to be chosen than great riches."

This whole idea of "His Name's Sake" has been on my mind this morning, and I have found a few interesting verses that related to the subject:

(1 Sam 12:22) For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.

(Psa 23:3) He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

(Psa 106:8) Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.

(Isa 66:5) Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.

(1 Jn 2:12) I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake.

(3 Jn 1:7) Because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles.

In reflecting upon these verses, I see, in the first place, that it pleased God to make Israel His people - "for His name's sake." What might He have seen in them that He could not find in any other? NOTHING! That's the exciting thing about it - He chose them out of the "good pleasure of His will." He knew He would have trouble with them. He knew they would not always be what He wanted them to be, but He chose them to manifest His grace and to demonstrate His glory.

When God made unconditional promises to Abraham AND HIS SEED, He knew they would worship and wander, worship and wander, worship and wander. Nevertheless, He chose them "for His name's sake" to bring the TRUTH into the world by the Covenants, the Commandments, and the Christ. It would be through this man, Abraham, that three major world religions would come: Judaism, Islam, and ultimately Christianity. All three would be monotheistic, but one of the three would be the means through which the entire world, Jew and Gentile alike could have access to reconciliation and personal relationship with God Himself.

It was not done for Israel's sake, nor was it done for the world's sake; it was done for His Name's Sake, which is to say that God was willing to place all the honor of His Name on the table in choosing a man through whom He would develop a nation, from whom He would use a tribe (Judah), of the household and linage of David, from which He would bring a family (Heli), who would have a daughter named Mary, a virgin, espoused to Joseph.

God meticulously did all this for His Name's Sake! God had promised back in Genesis that the "seed" would be of the woman and not of the man, so Jesus could not have been born of the seed of man!

We shall continue to explore these thoughts over the next few days.

BLESSINGS!