Shakespeare’s Juliet asked, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet.” A skunk, if we called it something else, would still stink. My first name gets misspelled all the time and my last name always gets mispronounced. No big deal, right? It’s just a name–it doesn’t have anything to do with who I am.

Well, sometimes a name is much more than just what you call somebody. Sometimes a name is everything.

“This is what the sovereign Lord says: ‘It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name… I will show the holiness of my great name… Then the nations will know that I am the Lord.'” ~Ezekiel 36:22-23

God’s name is not what he’s called; it’s who he is. Throughout the Scriptures, when God announces his name to his people, he says it is compassion and grace, loyalty and patience, love and faithfulness. God says, “This is my name. This is who I am. And this is why I am saving you.”

It’s got nothing to do with your good deeds or any merits you bring to the table. You and I are saved because of the eternal nature and character of our God. Who God is. His name. We are saved because God is loving and faithful and gracious. That’s his name.

And it absolutely means everything.

Peace,

Allan