When God is going to do a wonderful thing, He begins with a difficulty. When He is going to do a VERY wonderful thing, He begins with an impossibility!
"For nothing is impossible with God." Luke 1:37
I once had a friend who liked to drop names into conversations. You probably know someone like that. We'd be talking about the price of tea in China and suddenly he would say, "Jackie Chan once bought me lunch."
Or maybe an upcoming birthday party and he'd interject, "Mariah Carey once sang a birthday song to me."
To hear him tell it, Elvis was his best buddy, he played basketball with Kevin Costner and President Reagan sent him Christmas Cards.
It's almost as if his life was so boring and mundane that he would make up a different life for himself. One that involved famous people and places.
I guess it made him feel important.
But the problem with name dropping is that not everyone knows who you're talking about. Kids nowadays have never heard of famous people from yesterday. Buddy Holly, Carey Grant or Marilyn Monroe. History is no longer an important subject and once powerful people like Genghis Khan, Julius Caesar and Joseph Stalin are nothing but footnotes in academic texts.
Names have a certain power about them. Depending upon the name you can have feelings of love and admiration. Like Mother Teresa. Or feelings of anger and hate. Like Pol Pot.
There's power in a name.
But, like in life, the power only lasts for a short time. Our memories are short-term and time and time again we see a powerful name fade away into the annals of time.
Except for one.
The one person whom God named. In Matthew 1:21 we read, "She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."
Joseph didn't name Jesus.
Neither did Mary.
God gave Jesus his name. And when God speaks, it lasts for eternity.
In the name of Jesus, people's lives have been transformed.
By the power of His name, those lost to addiction, pain and loneliness have found a new hope.
By saying the name of Jesus, those in depression or mourning have found a new joy.
By invoking the name of Jesus, those filled with anger and hate have found peace.
And by praying in the name of Jesus, the least and lost have found love.
Yes. There's power in our names. But for only so long.
But when God gives a name, it changes the world forever.
If you feel compelled to drop a name into a conversation. The only one you need is Jesus.
Let us pray.
Our Great God. Today we thank you for your son Jesus. When You named Jesus, You knew the power of the name would last forever. That the name would invoke feelings of hope, peace, joy and love into generations of believers. We thank you for Jesus and all the ways in which His name have made this world a better place. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
The blessings of our Lord Jesus Christ be upon you.
PASTOR TROY CONRAD IS MINISTER OF THE FARMINGTON UNITED METHODIST CHURCH. EMAIL: [email protected]. THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHOR.
Religion on 12/28/2016