When a person is dear, everything connected with him becomes dear for his sake. Thus, so precious is the person of the Lord Jesus in the estimation of all true believers that everything about Him they consider to be inestimable beyond all price. "Your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia," said David [Psalm 45:18], as if the very vestments of the Savior were so sweetened by His person that he could not but love them. It is certain that there is not a spot where His hallowed foot has trod, there is not a word that His blessed lips have uttered, nor a thought that His loving Word has revealed that is not precious to us beyond all price. And this is true of the names of Christ--they are all sweet in the believer's ear. Whether He is called the Husband of the church, her Bridegroom, her Friend; whether He is referred to as the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world--the King, the Prophet, or the Priest--every title of our Master--Shiloh, Emmanuel, Wonderful, the Mighty Counselor--every name is like the honeycomb dropping with honey, and luscious are the drops that distill from it. But if there is one name sweeter than another in the believer's ear, it is the name Jesus. Jesus! It is the name that moves the harps of heaven to melody. Jesus! The life of all our joys. If there is one name more charming, more precious than another, it is this name. It is the melody of our psalms. Many of our hymns begin with it, and scarcely any, that are good for anything, end without it. It is the sum total of all delights. It is the music with which the bells of heaven ring, a song in a word, an ocean for comprehension, a matchless oratorio in two syllables, a gathering up of the hallelujahs of eternity in five letters.
At risk of copyright infringement, I'm posting this devotional from February 8. On this beautiful powder-blue leather-covered silver-edged page I find such a wonderful reminder. Jesus is indeed "a song in a word" to me.
A few days ago I read the comments posted below a YouTube video of a 30-second commercial designed to be shown during the 2011 Super Bowl. (The John 3:16 Look It Up spot was denied a national showing by FOX network, citing that it was too controversial. The organization that produced the commercial purchased air time on a few local stations, and the spot was aired in very limited locations.)
I'm disturbed by some of the comments that I read. Paragraphs from an intelligent atheist spew anger, sarcasm, and scripture across the scrolling page. He claims to know the Bible better than most believers, and he probably does. He fires off scripture quicker than Satan did when the enemy encountered Jesus in the wilderness. Other posts fling attacks at Christians that range from name calling to character assassination: stupid, intolerant, judgemental, murderers. As ususal, Hitler shows up. Arguments that take scripture out of context to proof text a point of view make my head spin. Just like those who are glad the commercial didn't air, some who profess faith in Christ post comments that are mostly weak or futile or edgy.
This tiny glimpse into the "real psyche" of the world makes me very sad and troubles my spirit.
There is no argument but the name of Jesus.
One can deny the existence of God, spell His name in all lower case, use the name of Jesus in a derisive way, mock, scorn, and misrepresent until he drops dead or Jesus returns. Scripture is not a myth--it is TRUTH: God will have His way. Until that time, God's love for all of humanity restrains Him. The truth is that God loves the world so much that He sent His One and Only Son into the world. The truth is that anyone who believes in Him will live for all eternity with Jesus.
I pray that God's love restrains me too--in deeper commitment to seek hard after Jesus and live out that life every day. I don't want to be the reason that anyone could give for turning away from the Savior Who Is LOVE.
