Day 3639 of the 7 day Bible verse challenge.

Isaiah 65:15 NIV

And so what’s in a name?

What is a name? Is it as we’ve come to consider it and merely nothing more than some moniker made by men to help maintain the pleasantries we’ve come to rely upon to help ensure our name is known? Things such as friendships built upon a first-name basis or a business partnership in which every name is to be preceded by a title aimed at a certain measure of apparent importance of the name following then behind? Is it something for what is basically only a classification’s sake as used in regard to recognition of an individual? Is it individual? Is it corporate?

Is it even that important?

I might imagine that this has perhaps started off as one of the stranger openings to a daily devotional ever offered, and that’s saying something in light of the many wild wanderings won within what’s become a mind wondering daily about all sorts of such normalities and formalities and why we’re so fascinated with them. And indeed, this is something that I would agree does seem somewhat odd in light of the preferred plight of man for all of us have indeed grown both up in and thus in love with this idea that among our life’s greatest purposes and pursuits, and thus most important priorities, would be, should be our share of the commonality of seeking to make a name.

But what’s in a name? Is it but the general opening gambit of what is needed in order to begin knowing someone as more than a stranger? Would I then be unable to know myself if my name were changed? Is it then truly the very foundation of an identity as considered in how it’s supposed to be, at least apparently? If that were the case, well then would we have no frame if nobody knew our name? Is it something of a tracking system in which we basically attach our existence unto the substance of the things we say, do, believe, become?

Does thus our name mean less would that fewer hear what we say or agree with what we say we believe?

This whole idea has been floating around my thoughts for quite a while now, just sort of waiting for the right moment or the right follow up, the right lead off as left off by a prior post that seems to have something to do with the subject. And well, having been talking of late about how little we can do and thus how much help we need if we’re to be able to believe in anything better than everything we’ve become, seems a rather perfect time to coax this one of out of hiding in what are those many recesses of a mind that seems to refuse all recess.

No, you’ll have noticed from the wide array of topics and theories posed or proposed within these daily posts that my mind truly never stops thinking. And that about all but everything. Such as whether or not time really exists when one day it won’t matter anymore. Or if the wind ever gets tired. Or if birds get colds. How might the treat the runny beak? Tis an amazing thing to be me in what is a life in which I seek only to give away all these scattered thoughts for what is always the very same hope, that being that they may profit someone something somehow in regard to faith and our chance to grow therein.

And that’s what’s made this a rather odd pondering in that, as I said, I do truly like my life and thus the name behind which I live it. In fact I tend to think that my name is quite cool, and even more so knowing the story behind it. But that’s too where I find that my mind has begun trying to ride what feels two diverging rails in that I like my name, appreciate my life, enjoy the fact that I can put my name to a life in which I live trying to do my daily best to honor God through all these words that I know should only ever fall short of such a thought.

But what of others?

That’s the question brought about by this verse here in Isaiah. It’s taken from a context in which God is laying out the quite differing promises as presented unto what are different people groups. One being His servants and the other, well, not so much. No, the other is that still growing party of enmity as seen blazing all through this still falling humanity. It’s those who don’t seek to honor God, to glory in Him, to glorify Him, to magnify His majesty among mankind for the simple sake of the salvation of all therein.

But you see, what strikes me as quite the idea to unravel is that these entirely different sets of societies as proven inside everything from what they do and why they do it the way they do to what is here being promised unto such different and still diverging groups is that there’s not much different about them. Many of the people being discussed were from the same places as others too being mentioned. Imagine there are similarities in occupation and outlook as well. Surely there are even some who share the same names.

And yet some will be used as curses whilst others will simply be given names anew. So what then is the point in our making a name or imagining that our name, regardless of what we do or do not ever manage to make of it, is truly all that important?

I mean, after all if half of humanity is going to find their names used in curses, thus not at all a very uplifting or encouraging achievement in which to boast, while the other will have their names changed completely, what then is this importance we’ve placed upon our monikers?

See, there feels to me this almost petty vanity won within this whole idea of making a name for ourselves. And this realization has only been furthered in light of our talks of late in regard to our rampant inability to actually do anything apart from Christ and thus how we need Him to have actually done all we couldn’t as made necessity in light of all we have done which shouldn’t have been done at all. Meaning then that, yes Virginia, Jesus is truly the only Name under Heaven given to man by which man must be saved.

But, having just typed out that thought after the others which came just prior, this seems an even further confusion as to our arrogant delusion. For Jesus is a name used still today, one often found within Latin culture. Does this mean that any random dude named Jesus is then able to save us? Or is it not still only He who is the Christ Jesus? God with us?

And that’s actually quite the perfect dividing line as drawn in regard to this conundrum of our own confusion. It’s that drawn by He who drew in the sand only to stand back up and invite all without sin to cast the first stone. Didn’t waste time with names as, well, there are none who are without sin. And so then, well, doesn’t this mean that our name, whilst having in fact been made unique in light of all we ourselves have done, been, become underneath such a label, is still not quite as important as is what we’ve done?

Indeed, will it be our names or rather what we’ve made of them, done to them that contributes to our eternal judgement? And in fact, in light of that, were we to be found upon that day at what’s then the end of a life lived seeking to know Him and serve Him and honor Him, even then we’re told elsewhere in Scripture that once home we’ll be given new names there too.

Why then, again, so much worry about making them seem as important as we’ve clearly so collectively considered?

You know, I don’t know if it’s humility continuing to have its way with me or simply a lack of desire to understand such commonalities as pretty much every such worldly normality, but regardless of the reasoning, I just struggle to find my share of this apparent important air as focused upon heirs of worldly cares and ensuring that I’ve the kind of laudable name that inspires fame or reminds of fortune or proves that I was, while here, really something to see and somebody to know.

Because personally, I don’t find all that much about me all that rare or impressive or worthy of such gloating as done within this idea of my making a name, leaving a mark, proving that I’m here and important enough to be known. As if something I’ve gained being at a point proven in my having by then made a name that others are honored to know or rejoice to remember. No, as I’ve confessed recently in regard to my sudden wrestling with time and both its importance and also in that even its actual existence, so too do I seem to suddenly find a failure to find any reason that I might need to be remembered.

For I don’t know what I can do for anyone that’s worth such a legacy as this idea of our making a name is supposed to be.

In fact, I’ve read through the Bible a few times now and while there are a great many notable names that most all of us know, I seem to have this understanding of mine seen throughout their lives and stories as well. Because, truth be told, while such names as Moses and David and Peter and Paul are all these really massive parts of the story of our faith, and all in fact did succeed in leaving a name at what was the end of their part of this story that is still known and appreciated by those of us continuing in their working.

But still, part of their working is done in proclaiming that there is that promise of our having no other Name given us under Heaven by which all must be saved.

And friends, this is such a powerful promise that even those men, and yes, women too, they all shared this understanding. They didn’t live seeking to make themselves seem important. They didn’t go around their towns or take these lavish trips in order to spread word of their fame or affluence. They didn’t seek out the successes or satisfactions that are so widely considered to be not merely conducive to our making a name but all but in fact expected if our name is to be proven important enough to last.

Rather, no they instead all pointed back to God and sought His glory over their own.

Although, minor side note that’s entirely perfect for the point for today, there was that one time that Moses lost sight of this pursuit and put his name above the Father’s, but just look at what it cost him!

This man who’d performed all those miracles in Egypt and held the staff that parted the sea and led this people for forty through a desert of both sand and displeasure, he did all that under the power and authority that God had given him, and then, in just one moment of putting God second, he himself lost his chance to enter the promise he’d spent those decades pointing this people toward.

No, God told him that instead of setting foot in the reward for such a journey and a battle all throughout, no, that instead he will see the land from atop a mountain, but will not himself enter it.

Is Moses considered then less important because of this imperfection?

Or what of Paul. So many of his contributions to the New Testament speak of this radical changing from a man who did make a name as being one to avoid to one who had changed so drastically that he had to deal with distrust from those he’d spent years persecuting. Such a change in fact that God changed his name too. For he was Saul the persecutor of Christianity. And indeed, does not Paul the writer of a large swath of the New Testament sound better?

But did Paul himself have anything to do with it?

No, and to me, well, that all plays into the point. Because, like Moses, and thanks to his story, I now fear ever making my name of any importance to me or seeking my glory anything of a priority either. And too of Paul. For I know that I too have lived a kind of life before I met Christ that even causes me to doubt in myself more times than I’d ever had imagined I might before. And all of this is combined with such things as popularity and the now common and soon to prove forsaken social medias that have made it the monster it’s become.

Indeed, it all just blends into my seeing only danger in trying to make a name for myself, or making my name seem something special in regard to forever.

And again, don’t get me wrong, I actually love my name, I think my parents did an amazing job coming up with a quite cool handle! But even with that, I know that the only Name with any power to help anyone is that of He who promises here that we’ve a new name awaiting us back home. Alongside the stern warning that living against Him will not leave us well thought of at all. And that’s a point too. I don’t want anything to shift my focus off that hope of that home, or to lead me back to that life of enmity that I know I’ve known.

And well, it just seems to me that spending my time trying to make a name for myself as done in thinking myself important is definitely one of those very distractions.

So simply put, I’ll not risk it. Not anymore at least.

For while some may curse my name for not living in accord with this world's ways, I’d rather be cursed by the world than to make a name that’s still only left for others to use in curses in light of a life lived wrong. Because that sounds like a truly horrible legacy if you ask me!

Not to mention that what’s left doesn’t necessarily evidence what’s still to come. No, I think it just best to live this life as if I might always matter less. For I can think of no way to give Him room to matter more, and thus too, for a little more space between myself and becoming a disgrace.

Because in truth, names are just labels that convey a certain measure of who we are. But friends, if all we are is worried about making our name sound impressive to a world impressed by sin, I don’t think we’ll find the outcome all that impressive. Rather more oppressive than anything.

And again, that just sounds like a horrible story to tell. So why then live to leave it behind?

#LeaveNoSoulUntold