The Greatness of a Name

Then God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth" (Genesis 9:1)

This was the command that the Lord gave to Noah and his family after the flood. After chapter 10 listing the generations of Noah's sons, we come to chapter 11 and the Tower of Babel.

When the people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. Then they said to one another, "Come, let's make bricks and bake them thoroughly." (They had brick instead of stone and tar instead of mortar.) Then they said, "Come, let's build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens so that we may make a name for ourselves. Otherwise we will be scattered across the face of the entire earth" (Genesis 11:2-4).

A couple of observations: First notice the people's disobedience to the command of God. Instead of filling the earth, they find a single location to settle in so that they would not be scattered. This was all about their security. They were "safe" if they stayed together. They were "safe" if they stayed in one location. They were "safe" if they could fortify their settlement with a tower. They were "safe" if they would trust in themselves instead of obeying God. The people didn't want to trust God to provide all that He had promised in chapter 9. Their faith was in themselves and their own ability rather than God.

From this, notice the phrase "so that we may make a name for ourselves." The people wanted to advance their name, their reputation, by their own means. Let me ask, who do you know that was at Babel? The Bible doesn't record anyone of any significance. Time has shown that everyone who tried to advance their name apart from the blessing of God failed.

Then we come to chapter 12.

Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go out from your country, your relatives, and your father's household to the land that I will show you. Then I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will make your name great so that you will exemplify divine blessing" (Genesis 12:1-2).

Abram (or Abraham as he is renamed later), now there is a name I bet you remember. Think of how many people in the world today (Christians, Jews, Muslims) know the name of Abraham, not because of Abraham's own efforts or abilities, but because it was the Lord who determined to make him great.

How often today do we trust in our abilities to establish a name and reputation for ourselves in this world? How often do we hope our efforts will bring us greatness? The text tells us, and time has proven, that God and God alone determines the greatness of a name. Trust in God. He is faithful to do all that He has promised. He will make your name great... for His purposes alone.

Be Thou My Vision...
Riches I Seek Not, Nor Man's Empty Praise
Thou Mine Inheritance, Now and Always
Thou and Thou Only, First in My Heart
High King of Heaven My Treasure Thou Art

In God We Trust

My wife and I are part of that much talked about 'undecided' crowd in regards to the upcoming presidential election. I've heard it referred to as the Reagan Democrats, but I can't really affirm or deny that... mostly because I don't know what that means. All I know is that we just aren't entirely sold on either party. In light of our 'undecidedness' we spent the other night watching the first presidential debate. The number one topic of concern was the economy and the proposed (at the time, but by now official) $700 billion wall-street bailout plan. And I just couldn't help but think: isn't it ironic?

Question after question of "What is your plan to fix the economy?," "What is your opinion of the bailout plan?," and "Where do you differ from your opponent in terms of the economy?" America's financial situation is obviously a big concern for the public and therefore it is pivotal for each candidate to address the problem. But in all the the responses to the declining economy, either from the candidates themselves or from the media covering the story, you never hear the response of "God is in control."

Maybe that isn't the most politically correct response. But isn't it ironic then that this money that we worry about so much, that we desire to accumulate and secure, and that we fear losing so greatly has this little phrase printed on each bill "In God We Trust." It doesn't say "In Government We Trust," "In The Economists We Trust," or "In Reliable and Insured Financial Institutions We Trust." Ok, maybe that last one would be a little long to print and perhaps it isn't as catchy. That's what it really comes down to, it seems. We say "In God We Trust" because it's catchy; it's what we are supposed to say... we don't actually have to believe it.

This comic strip was in the paper today. It's point seems fitting. (If the font comes out too small here, you can check it out in full size).

What is the point of having the trustworthy, sovereign name of God on our currency if we refuse to recognize Him as such and live our lives in fear and financial worry? Here is how scripture treats the topic of trusting in the name of God versus trusting in wealth:

Proverbs 18:10-11
The name of the LORD is like a strong tower;
the righteous person runs to it and is set safely on high.
The wealth of a rich person is like a strong city,
and it is like a high wall in his imagination.

Notice the parallelism. The name of the Lord is a strong tower and the wealth of the rich is a strong city. There is safety to be found in money. But if you think that money can provide a stronghold that cannot be overcome, who's walls cannot be scaled and destroyed, that you are fooling yourself; complete security in money is only in your imagination. True security comes from trusting the Lord. He cannot be overcome and He will not fail. He is good and faithful and He will take care of His children.

Perhaps those statements sound good, but abstract. It is easy to say that we should be trusting in God because it's a biblical concept, it is another thing to practice it when the company decides to make cutbacks, the mortgage payment is due, or the car needs another tank of gas. I know it's hard. Being in seminary right now and only working part time, many of the conversations my wife and I have are centered around our budget and how we aren't meeting it. I worry about taking care of a family. I worry about bringing in enough money and I am constantly trying to devise the best plan to increase our savings account. But ultimately I have to rely on the provision of God. Money will be spent, and possessions will pass away, but "the word of the Lord stands forever" (Isaiah 40:8).

Let me encourage you that if you find yourself holding onto your wealth as a means of security or fretting over your lack of wealth as a point of weakness and vulnerability, that when these feelings creep in, you would grab hold of a dollar bill, grab hold of the item you are hoping in, and read how it points you to God even as you grasp for it instead of Him

"In God We Trust"

Be Thou My Vision...
Riches I Seek Not, Nor Man's Empty Praise
Thou Mine Inheritance, Now and Always
Thou and Thou Only, First in My Heart
High King of Heaven My Treasure Thou Art

There was an excellent message that I heard the other day that highly influenced this blog posting. If you are interested, you can check out the message here.

In Memory of Faye "Nanny" Wilkerson, 1925-2008

And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose, because those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified.

What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Indeed, he who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all– how will he not also, along with him, freely give us all things? Who will bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is the one who will condemn? Christ is the one who died (and more than that, he was raised), who is at the right hand of God, and who also is interceding for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will trouble, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, "For your sake we encounter death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we have complete victory through him who loved us! For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor heavenly rulers, nor things that are present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:28-39

Terrible Times Require Trustworthy Teaching

It has been a while since I have posted anything on the ol' blog here. The fall semester has begun and classes, work, and church have all taken away the free time I had over the summer in which to blog. I had a few moments free today, so I thought I pass along a short posting.

I know I am interrupting a three part series on "The Prime Church," but I feel this is worth everyone's time and attention. The title of this posting corresponds to the title of a message given at a recent DTS chapel by Dr. Jeffery Bingham. He focuses his attention on some themes I have raised in earlier blog postings, especially the significant need today for sound teaching.

You can check out the message here.

Enjoy.