For His Names Sakewritten by Michael McBaneTo comprehend God with greater understanding one must consider why the word of God so often states that God for His names sake will. Consider how many in the Bible prayed Lord for Your names sake. These words, ‘for His names sake’ offer a very interesting equation. One that I am shallow in understanding fully but I never the less am intrigued by the volume attainable in the sum of its expansion. Our examination will yield an enlargement of knowledge and understanding allowing us see the Lord with a different perspective. Perhaps providing application to step forward into a greater faith. Which is always delightful.“For the Lord will not cast away His people, for His names sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make a people for Himself.” 1 Samuel 12: 22.What an incredible text. It expands before us, allowing us to see the historic determination of God to draw men to Him. It reveals that God desires a people for Himself that are His, that He calls His own. It is possessive and it is also particular in that it states that He will do this for His names sake. I will use this declarative structure to cradle the intent of my words.The historic context of this text is equally revealing. It exposes the great weakness of man to turn to man instead of God and tells us that few are immune to this stumbling that turns our hearts towards idolatry. Yet this text uncovers God’s mercy in His declaration to not cast away His people for His names sake.The name of God is interwoven in the relationship and commitment seen through the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Within the context of this relationship we can see the reflection of the facets of God’s character. When we consider the names of God that reveal His nature and attributes we within this revelation and subsequent understanding see that God can create or give life for His names sake without question. So we as men and women can not demand of God in such a way that says for our sake do this or that we must see the horizon of God that reveals to us that He does everything for His names sake because it is glorious and He in this context can not deny His love which is for us. And the scriptures tell us over and over again that God is willing to insure that His name is known therefore He is saying that His love will be know. It was magnified in Christ as a man, in His obedience unto death and then in the Father’s demand that He be resurrected and the Holy Spirits agreement divides time as we know it and grants to mankind a highway to know the love of God through a participatory engagement. Is this not telling to us that God is vested in doing much for His names sake and then offering His Son to us in such a way that we have a deposit that is fully insured and complete within us. Therefore we have opportunity to comply with the desire of God to magnify His name by saying yes to His image being formed and revealed in and through us.My friends this is more then a highway to heaven, it is a transference of holiness, righteousness, purity as we live in Christ. And that is not an exaggeration it is the possibility of the reality of living for His names sake. This is bigger then being in ministry. It is higher then cathedrals and capturing a moment of a time of worship. This is the exchanging of glorious hope. But it is done as we drop all of our ideas, even the ones we have labored for and we say God I am beginning to see this. Perhaps faintly, it is You and if I step into You I can ask anything in Your name and the Father will hear and it will be done. What are we asking for? I tell you until we determine to let go of our name we will only see shadows of this and we will not know it as we can.Now this is the most pivotal truth we can comprehend and the most distorted. His life, His image formed in and through us. We are the temple of God. But, but...most would rather erect everything and anything to reveal this but to actually have our person be yielding in such a way that our life is not a life seeking to be or build a ministry, we are not distracted by building buildings and programs and like manor of things that are a shallow reflection of something that we want to reflect Him. God says, stop this. I want you for My names sake and I will not stop until I find My people who will respond to Me for My names sake.Let us understand this, God will complete His intent, He is committed to making a people for Himself. This alone, God is seeking a people who will be committed to not profaning His name. It should make us determined to not take unto ourselves the hearts of men and women as we relate to one another as Christians. We are God’s and therefore we must begin to walk with each other in a way much different then we have known or culturally succumbed to. We can join and pray Lord for Your names sake reveal who You are in and among us. This is a costly prayer.Read Daniels prayer, “O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, give heed and act; delay not, for Your own sake, O my God, because your city and Your people are called by Your name. Daniel 9:19Our beliefs should affect and infect our prayer, our language and our life styles. Do we know what we believe? Do we really know the God we proclaim? Do we subject who we are to Him or is He aloof from us by or choice?“Though our iniquities testify against us, act, O Lord, for Your names sake; for our backslidings are many, we have sinned against You...You, O Lord, are in the midst of us, and we are called by Your name; leave us not.” Jeremiah 14: 7 through 9.We are called by His name. What a call we have.
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