Today’s thought “That my name might be proclaimed” (January 31)

Today’s thought

“That my name might be proclaimed”

(January 31)

Exodus 3, Exodus 4, Psalms 56-57, Romans 9

Our readings today – in Exodus and Romans tie in together in their reference to the exaltation of Moses, now ready, in God’s sight, to serve him after forty years of preparation “in the land of Midian”. Moses is now a meek and humble man (Numbers 12:3) – God can now use him.

Paul’s points in Roman’s 9 are illuminating: first, he states how God

“says to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy … So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who has mercy’” (verses 15,16).

In our Exodus reading yesterday we saw how God could not use Moses’ own “will and exertion” (2:11-15). Paul then drives home the lesson that we cannot deserve, i.e., ‘earn’ God’s blessing by our own efforts.

All God’s blessings are an expression of God’s mercy. This is parallel to talking about God’s grace; therefore it is really saddening today when so many talk and write glibly about ‘grace’ as though it is an ever-flowing factor that they can be certain about – regardless of how they behave.

Bible study on Romans Paul next makes the point that

“Scripture says to Pharaoh, ‘For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth’” (verse 17).

This is not the proclamation of God’s actual name as an intellectual understanding, but of God’s reputation – that was about to be established by what he did. We will read of this in the next few days; the dramatic deliverance from Egypt of the descendants of Jacob.

In relation to this, look carefully at our reading in Exodus 3 where God’s name is given as,

“I will be what I will be” (verse 14 – as shown in the ESV footnote).

Primarily, this means God will ‘make’ his name, that is, his reputation, by what is about to happen –

“This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations” (verse 15).

Their deliverance from Egypt became a ‘memorial’ which all generations would look back to – as a foundation for their confidence in God. Thus, when we come to read Psalm 135 and its praises to the Lord we will see the full significance in verse 8-13 of the Lord’s name and “renown”. It is fully expressed in Isaiah 63:11-14 how you God

“led your people to make for yourself a glorious name”.

Daniel makes the same point in his impassioned prayer (9:15).

In the same way we look back to the sacrifice and resurrection of our Saviour – and how God made for himself the name of ‘Father’. This was not so in the Old Testament. We are privileged to call God ‘Father’ – but how many “hallow” that name when they say the Lord’s Prayer? Do we?

It is just as vital to ask; how many are striving to make a ‘name’ for themselves which Christ will “remember” when the time comes for him to “confess’ what those in his service have achieved according to the “talents” given to them? Think about what Jesus says in Revelation 3:5,