What’s in a Name

Today is Good Friday. And as such, I was off of work in observance of the Holiday…one of the first times in history that I was off from work on a day Michael wasn’t. He took off anyway though and we spent the day visiting my grandmother who is visiting my dad from Ohio and running some errands.

When we got home this afternoon, we decided to download some new music. We sing a lot of great worship songs at church that we weren’t previously familiar with, so we searched and found several of them. We’ve been enjoying listening to them all while cooking dinner and trying out the Wii Fit. One song came on that I’ve heard on the radio as well as at church called Your Name.
“Your name is a strong and mighty tower.
Your name is a shelter like no other.
Your name…let the nations sing it louder.
‘Cause nothing has the power to save, but your name.”

Now that I’m writing this, I actually think that this very song may have inspired a blog post at some point last year. But listening to this song and singing along today brought to mind the many people we know who are really going through some tought times right now, and we took a moment to say a prayer for them.

I started thinking about the power of the name Jesus. Scripture tells us that when the demons hear that name, they shudder. That is a powerful name. And then, I started thinking about Good Friday and all that Jesus did on this day. I recently read a medical account of the crucifixion of Christ and it brought overwhelming tears to my eyes. The pain, the agony. Isaiah 52 tells us that he was beaten beyond recognition of a man. And he did it for us–giving us access to the throne of God and a hope for eternity and resurrection.

No matter who you are, I believe there comes a point in all of our lives when we are faced with the truth of Jesus’s death–atoning for our sins. And when we faced this truth, we are forced to respond. The moment Jesus breathed his last on the cross, the earth responded. There was an earthquake that ripped the veil in the temple and cracked boulders, the sky turned black at noon, a blood moon rose. All of these things happened in response to Christ’s death. The first time I truly came face to face with the truth of Christ was Easter Sunday when I was eight years old. I remember sitting in church, crying as Dr. Cunningham talked about Christ’s death and glorious resurrection, and I couldn’t help but respond and say I would commit my life to follow Jesus–it was like a force compelling me to.

The power of the one who forever changed religion, and history, the power to save, to heal, to unite, to restore, to provide, to love, to give peace, to give understanding…all that power is in His name, we must simply call upon it and respond. I hope that this Easter, among the business of life, that you take a minute to reflect on the sacrifice of Christ, and how that changes you. I hope you respond to that truth in some way–either fully believing for the first time, rededicating your life to follow him, praying for some one, trusting him with your burdens. However you respond, know that there is power in the name of Jesus.

Here are the words to one fo my favorite baptist hymns we sang growing up in church:
“Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, there’s just something about that name.
Master, Savior, Jesus, like the fragrance after the rain.
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, let all heaven and earth proclaim.
Kings and kingdoms will all pass away but there’s something about that name.”

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