God Speaking

“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name”

(Philippians 2: 9)

Just recently we were invited to visit a beautiful property owned by a very wealthy business man. The man was not going to accompany us, but he assured us that everybody who worked for him would be notified that we were coming and all we had to do was to mention his name and that we were his guests and we would be looked after. That proved to be exactly what happened. If we mentioned his name we were treated like royalty. His name was the key that opened all doors. I was thinking about the importance of names in our present everyday life, and the beautiful song we sang at our church service this Sunday, reminded me that we know the wonderful name that is above all names. This was the song.

What A Powerful Name It Is! The name of Jesus!

That name is so powerful that Paul reminds the Philippians that it has so much power every knee will eventually bow before it.

“That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father,” (Philippians 2: 10 – 11)

I think that sometimes we forget the wonderful privilege it is to be able to call on the name of Jesus Christ. That powerful name opens the door and allows us into the presence of the Heavenly Father. We have access to the ear of the Creator of the universe, only because we can use Jesus’ name to allow us to do so.

After the resurrection, the disciples quickly realised, the power that name held and when Peter and John were approached by a crippled man begging for money, Peter called on that name and a miracle occurred!

“Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk. Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.” (Acts 3: 6 – 8)

Unfortunately, the world does not revere this precious name and it is casually used even sometimes in swearing. We who belong to the Lord have a great need to preserve the reverence that powerful name deserves.  We can do that by remembering when we use it to have that reverence it deserves. Many prayers end with the words, in Jesus’ name, but so often those words roll off our tongue without us acknowledging we have just blessed the words we have spoken with incredible power.

John tells us by believing in that all powerful name our lives will be filled with his Spirit and everything we do in his name will be blessed.

“But these are written 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)