Devotion for Monday 5 July
Dear Readers and Listeners, Friends in Jesus Christ,
Our watchword for today is taken from the Book of Exodus, Chapter 20 verse 7, “You shall not make wrongful use of the Name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name,” (NRSVB). When Moses drew closer to the incredible sight of the burning bush in the desert, he heard God calling him from out of the midst of the bush, saying: Moses! Moses! And Moses replied: Here am I. God informed Moses that he should not come closer, for he was standing on holy ground and he should remove his shoes out of respect. Moses did as God instructed him and hid his face out of awe for God. He was afraid to behold God in the brilliant light of the fire, as God concealed himself, for no human can see God and live. God told Moses that he will lead his kinsmen out of slavery in Egypt and he had to go and speak to the Pharaoh and demand the release of the Israelites. Moses was totally overwhelmed and told God that he had no standing to do such a mighty act, but God assured him of his presence and guidance, he had not to be afraid. Moses knew that this was God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but he asked God what he had to tell the people if they asked what is the name of God, the God of our Fathers. God said to him, “I am Who I am and What I am, and I will be what I will be; say to the Israelites: I Am has sent me to you,” Exodus 3 verse 14, (Amplified Bible).
The Name of God encompasses all that he was, is and shall be, his name is holy and worthy. At the sound of his Name the evil forces tremble and in his Name people are blessed. God’s Name is to be respected and used to praise Him and address Him in prayer and worship. His Name must not be taken in vain and used in oaths or curses, for it is through reverence of his Name and his Being, that he is honoured. For God, our names are important, he has called us by our names, we are special individuals to him, He is the God, the Beginning and the End, the Alpha and Omega, God of our Fathers, to the Only One God to us. The tribes, whom the Israelites dwelled amongst as they journeyed to the Land of Milk and Honey, had many religious rituals. Some of these rituals included screaming the names of their gods over and over, calling on them, who were mere idols, to hear, but they could not, for they were only craven images. God forbade that his Name be invoked in curses and warned the Israelites not to curse their enemies using his Name, neither to use his name in jest or to use it without respect. Misusing the Name of God is a form of showing utter disrespect to the Him. Jesus taught his disciples how to speak to and of God, “And when you pray, do not heap upon phrases, multiplying words, repeating the same ones, as the Gentiles do, for your Father knows what you need, before you ask Him,” Matthew 6 verses 7 and 8, (Amplified Bible).
Jesus told his disciples that their names are enrolled in heaven for they have been given new names, names to reveal their new character, for they are new creatures, named with the Name of Christ. We read in the First Letter of Peter, Chapter 4 verse 14, “For you bear the Name of Christ,” this is our new identity, our new name, Children of Christ. We are baptized in the Name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the Name of the Triune God is called out over us to bless us and make us partakers of the Kingdom of God, We were chosen in baptism and through the regeneration of the old Adam, to be named after our Lord: Sons and Daughters of the most high God. In the Book of Revelation in Chapter 22 verse 4, the Apostle John sees in a vision the children of God bearing the name of Jesus Christ inscribed on their foreheads, showing that they belong to Him.
Jesus taught us to pray to his father, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name,” Luke 11 verse 2. We come together to pray and ask in the Name of our Lord Jesus, and we know what we ask in his Name will be granted to us if it is in accordance with the will of our Father. It is through calling on the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ that all shall be saved as we read in Acts 2 verse 21. Our Lord waits for us to call on his Name for his Name is above all names. We can rely on his holy Name to save us and protect us, as he has promised.
Father, our Father, we come and bless your holy Name and pray that your Name will be hallowed, on earth as it is in heaven. We thank you that you have taught us your Name and you encourage us to call on you, for you turn your ear to us and come to save us, Amen.
