Dear Church Family,
During this time of the Covid-19 crisis, many people find little, if anything, to get excited about. Focusing on doom and gloom can do that to anyone. There have been some good news. You might be breathing a little easier after the stock market rebounded significantly the first two days of the week. Some “experts” think the virus just might be peaking. If you have been to the grocery store, you quickly adapted to going only one way in an aisle. Let me offer a great option to gloom and doom.
“Glory in His holy name; let the heart of those who seek the Lord rejoice.”
So to us come the instructions of 1 Chronicles 16:10. This can be seen as the mountaintop of the five verses in this Call to Worship. Earlier David has called us to give thanks to God and to sing to Him in praise. Now David commands us to marvel at the holy name of God. You might wonder what the big deal about God’s name is. Well, the Third Commandment orders us not to take God’s name in vain. It warns, “The Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses His name.”
Instead of using God’s name for a curse, we give Him the glory that only He deserves. God’s name reflects His character. God revealed Himself to Moses at the burning bush as ‘Yahweh’ or “I AM” – a name that was so holy that Hebrews did not say it or write it. In John 8:58 Jesus caused the Jews to pick up stones to stone Him after He declared, “Before Abraham was born, I am!” The Jews expressed outrage for they saw no possible way that his man from Nazareth could be anything but a deranged heretic. They failed to see the glory of Jesus claiming to be God in the flesh.
The name of God points us to His glory. He is the eternal God who does not change in His character, His power or His being. The name of God declares that He remains all powerful over all things as the Creator and Sustainer of all things. As Lord, He is working all things for His glory. As Father, He continues to love His children and provide all they need. As the Good Shepherd, He leads us besides still waters and guides us in paths of righteousness. As the Comforter, He gives us the peace that passes all understanding. As King, He has defeated all His and our enemies, thus we are secure.
In a world that thrives on fear, conflict and uncertainty, Romans 8:31 comforts us with a rhetorical question, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” We can remove the “if” when by faith we rest in the sacrificial work of Jesus. It then becomes a statement of fact that God is with His chosen people now and forever. Therefore, though we are weak in ourselves, God will stand against anything that comes at us in this fallen world. As this verse in 1 Chronicles closes it calls us to rejoice as we glory in the mighty name of our great God.
So every day may we “glory in His Holy name” and as David sings in Psalm 29:2, “Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name.” What a wonderful thing to have at the top of your To-Do List.
Pastor Gillikin