Jesus - Name above all names!

In the days before the break-up of the Soviet Union - indeed, the days before the introduction of 'glasnost' and 'perestroika' - a Russian novelist was given permission to publish his new book on the condition that he had the Name of God printed in lower-case only!  When the book was later distributed outside the U.S.S.R., the author made the following comment in the preface:

'If we write the names of regional Party Leaders, and of the Secret Police, with capitals, why shouldn't we use capitals for the highest creative power in the universe?'

It was, and is, a good question!  It is unthinkable to many of us that we should 'downgrade' the Name of God in any way and, as I was pointing out in Coatbridge Baptist Church yesterday, we cringe when we hear, or see, that Name dishonoured.

Yet, even those of us who profess to be disciples of Jesus can be guilty of that very thing!  For example, the story is told of a prominent businessman who expressed the desire for reality in his life.  A friend asked, "How about God?  He is very real to some of us."  "Well," responded the businessman, "if He is, why don't you all begin to make Him real to the rest of us?  He can't be very precious to most Christians, or they wouldn't succeed so well in keeping Him out of their conversations!"

It is sad, but true, that for some who profess His Name, "God" is in small type!  Yet surely, every Christian should be able to sincerely echo those words of John Newton: "How sweet the Name of Jesus sounds in a believer's ear."

In these days, when many are praying for a reviving move of God the Holy Spirit in the U.K.; in Europe; in the world; it is not inappropriate to remember that the early Christians - the followers of the Way - 'gossiped the Gospel' - and saw the church grow.  They didn't all preach; they didn't all lead formal evangelistic campaigns; they didn't all plant fresh fellowships of believing people.  But they did talk Jesus, and live Jesus.

The lives of all who claim to be children of God (see John 1:12) should reveal the family characteristics (Gal.5:22-23).  The Psalmist said, "Ascribe to YHWH the glory due to His Name" (96:8).  By the words we speak, and the attitudes we manifest, we should always seek to magnify Him!

If we claim to be His, then in our lives, God should never appear in small type!