But recently I tuned in to watch a portion of Nik Wallenda’s
tightrope walk over an expansive abyss of the Grand Canyon, and I was
captivated by his conversation with God and how it seemed that his heart was
calmed and his focus was kept by speaking the name of Jesus and giving praise
to his God. Nik was quoted in an interview, "I find that peaceful and
relaxing and He's the only one up there listening to me," Wallenda said.
"My life is based on my faith. I guess the biggest role that it plays is
that if I do fall and die I know where I'm going." (christianpost.com)
Today Sarah writes about whispering the name of Jesus when
we are pressed for some reason, so that we might even be calmed by His
presence, watch care, and faithfulness. Some might view Christians relying on
the name of Jesus as our believing that it is some magic formula or
super-calming mantra. But we know it to be much, much more. Throughout the Old
Testament we read of people calling on the “name of the Lord,” and the power of
His name. Then in the New Testament we see the fulfillment of the promise of our Lord God by Him giving us His Son to become our Savior and Lord, and His name is Jesus.
Matthew 1:20-25 …an
angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do
not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived
in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name
Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Now all this took place to fulfill what
was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “BEHOLD,
THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL,” which translated means, “GOD WITH US.” And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as
the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a
Son; and he called His name Jesus.
As Jesus was
meeting with His disciples prior to His arrest, recorded in John 13-17, He
repeatedly told them of the power that they would have in asking God for the “whatever’s”
and the “anything’s” in His name—the name of Jesus. He spoke of His oneness
with the Father and the Holy Spirit who was soon to be given to them. As Jesus was closing up this time He ended it
with prayer, and here is a portion of that prayer:
John 17:6-12 “I have
manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were
Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. Now they have
come to know that everything You have given Me is from You; for the words
which You gave Me I have given to them; and they received them and truly
understood that I came forth from You, and they believed that You sent Me. I ask on their
behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given
Me; for they are Yours; and all things that are Mine are Yours, and Yours are
Mine; and I have been glorified in them. I am no longer in the world; and yet they
themselves are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your
name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are. While I was with
them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded
them and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the
Scripture would be fulfilled.
There is so
much in this prayer, and one of the prominent things is the emphasis of being
kept in the name of God. And as we look at the whole of Scripture we can see
that “the name of the Lord” is synonymous with our Lord Himself and all that He
is. So when we call on the name of Jesus, when we call out His name even
quietly we are truly calling upon our God who answers our prayers and meets our
needs. He knows our every need, even the ones which we can’t give voice to, when
all we can do is voice His name and trust Him to respond.
Psalm 8 O Lord, our Lord, How majestic is Your
name in all the earth, who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens! From the mouth of
infants and nursing babes You have established strength because of Your
adversaries, to make the enemy and the revengeful cease. When I consider Your heavens, the work of
Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained; what is man that You
take thought of him, and the son of man that You care for him? Yet You have made
him a little lower than God, and You crown him with glory and majesty! You make him to rule
over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, all sheep
and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens and the
fish of the sea, whatever passes through the paths of the seas. O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your
name in all the earth!
Today in “Jesus Calling” by Sarah Young (7/12)
Whenever you feel distant from Me, whisper My Name in loving
trust. This simple prayer can restore your awareness of My Presence.
My Name is constantly abused in the world, where people use
it as a curse word. This verbal assault reaches all the way to heaven; every
word is heard and recorded. When you trustingly whisper My Name, My aching ears
are soothed. The grating rancor of the world’s blasphemies cannot compete with
a trusting child’s utterance: “Jesus.” The power of My Name to bless both you
and Me is beyond your understanding.
“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other
name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12
Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask
and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. John 16:24
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