Day Twenty-Seven

This week we are reflecting on songs that speak to some of the names by which we know God.

It’s interesting to me that a lot of Bible studies on names of God often skip the most obvious one. Many times they are filled with (wonderful) names from the Old Testament, and then they also mention Emmanuel to bring Jesus into the study, but then they skip…well, Jesus. As in, they don’t also examine Jesus’ actual name.

And yet the name of Jesus is central to the life and practice of those who first called themselves Christians. All throughout the New Testament we find the name of Jesus invoked by his followers, often to powerful effect. It is clear that the name of Jesus is meant to be central to our faith, in both personal devotion and public expression.

But how often do we really stop to think about the name Jesus and what it means for us? We offer it as a closing to our prayers, and we sing about it from time to time, but do we really understand the power in that name?

Jesus, or Yeshu’a in Hebrew, literally means “salvation.” His name is his mission. And in both the teachings of Jesus and the early church, his name is linked to so much of our experience as Christians:

Prayer: “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”—John 14:13-14 (NIV)

Healing: “Then Peter said, ‘Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.’”—Acts 3:6 (NIV)

Redemption: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”—Acts 4:12 (NIV)

Spiritual Warfare: “The seventy-two returned with joy and said, ‘Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.’”—Luke 10:17 (NIV)

Worship: “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”—Philippians 2:9-11 (NIV)

Perhaps we sometimes fall prey to what I call the “Jesus is my pal” syndrome—we become accustomed to thinking of Jesus as our friend, and we lose sight of who he really is, forgetting the power inherent in his name. In fact, his name becomes just like the name of any other friend we might claim.

But his name is so much more. And it is worthy of contemplation. So that’s what we’re going to do today. We have a few songs linked below, each prompting us to think of a particular aspect of the name Jesus. There are no reflection questions today, for you’re invited to listen to these songs and then sit in silence and meditate on the name of Jesus and what it means to you.

Here is some Scripture to sit with before you begin a time of prayer.

“Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,

who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death—
even death on a cross.

Therefore God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.”—Philippians 2:5-11 (NRSV)

Read the lyrics here.