This morning in class, one of my professors said something interesting. NEWS FLASH! Just kidding.
"We say that Jesus has the name above all names. This does not mean that Jesus has the best name, greater than any other name. This means that Jesus has the name that is above the idea of names."
We can divide ourselves among names like Lutheran, Episcopalian, Bapti-Metho-Costal, Catholic. But before we ever made any of those divisions, we were called together by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, the Christ. This man, Jesus, has the name that is above the idea of names.
I really appreciated that little nugget of joy in an otherwise tiresome morning. It reminded me of the end of Jon Foreman's beautiful song, "Your Love is Strong," where he sings:
Our God in heaven -- hallowed be thy name above all names.
Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us weary sinners.
Keep us far from our vices and deliver us from these prisons.
It's a lovely little version of the Lord's Prayer that I particularly enjoy.
"We say that Jesus has the name above all names. This does not mean that Jesus has the best name, greater than any other name. This means that Jesus has the name that is above the idea of names."
We can divide ourselves among names like Lutheran, Episcopalian, Bapti-Metho-Costal, Catholic. But before we ever made any of those divisions, we were called together by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, the Christ. This man, Jesus, has the name that is above the idea of names.
I really appreciated that little nugget of joy in an otherwise tiresome morning. It reminded me of the end of Jon Foreman's beautiful song, "Your Love is Strong," where he sings:
Our God in heaven -- hallowed be thy name above all names.
Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us weary sinners.
Keep us far from our vices and deliver us from these prisons.
It's a lovely little version of the Lord's Prayer that I particularly enjoy.