My New Name

Isaiah 62:2b You shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give.

When a person commits themselves to follow God and honor Him in their life, it changes them in many ways – how they live, how they think, how they respond to life experiences. We find this concept all through the Bible, culminating in the teaching of Paul when he said that in Christ, we are made a new creation(2 Corinthians 5:17). In Revelation we are told that wen we get to heaven God will give each of us a new name (Revelation 2:17). 

I see the same thing here in Isaiah 62. The new names mentioned in this chapter tell me a lot about what God wants to do in my heart and life if I will let Him. My new names include:

* My Delight (v.4) – Instead of being opposed to God and God to me, I become His delight … He enjoys my company.

* Married (v.4) – Married is what a man and a woman in love do to cement their relationship and commitment to one another. God is committed to me for eternity. He has sealed that commitment to our relationship through Jesus’ sacrifice.

* Holy People (v.12) – Because of the blood of Jesus covering my sin, as a believer I have been made holy in God’s perspective. I am not perfect, but God considers me to be holy, set apart for Him.

* Redeemed Of The Lord (v.12) – The Bible makes it clear that the Messiah came to make the ultimate sacrifice for sin to buy us back from our enemy Satan. When I put my faith in Jesus, His payment went into effect for me so that I was redeemed – bought back – for freedom from slavery to sin.

* Sought out (v.12) – To be sought out means that someone has looked specifically for something and found it. I see that as something God has done for me, and this name tells me how important I am to Him.

* A City Not Forsaken (v.12) – To be forsaken is to be left alone, to be desolate. It is certainly a sad word. This name turns that all around. God has not left me alone to fend for myself in this life. I am not desolate because I have all the benefits of being in God’s care and keeping.

My spiritual birth certificate would be an interesting one if I were to see it: Spiritual Birthplace, Ravenna, Ohio; spiritual Birthdate, sometime in 1954; Name: Jo Ann My Delight Married Holy Redeemed South Out Not Forsaken Piotter. I guess that would make a pretty big gravestone when I leave this earthly life, also!

Earthquake-proof

Psalm 46:2 We will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea …

 Not long ago, central South Carolina experienced a series of small earthquakes (one or two we felt here at home), which gendered a lot of discussion about earthquakes. Just a couple of weeks ago, I was reading about earthquake-resistant buildings and when I read Psalm 46 this morning, I remembered what I had read and saw a spiritual application right away. The article I read said there are five principles to follow when building a structure that can withstand earthquakes. Spiritually speaking, I have those same things available to make my life earthquake-proof:

• An appropriate foundation. Psalm 46:1 says, “God is our strength, a very present help in trouble.” If He is my life’s foundation, my fear of falling is gone. I have a good, solid foundation upon which I am building my life.
  
• Seismic dampers, i.e., something to absorb the shocks from an earthquake. Psalm 46:5: “God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved.” It is God’s presence in my life that keeps me steady. No matter what happens, I can feel, and be, secure even if life is shaking from unpleasant events. The Bible is full of promises that support this verse in Psalm 46. I have had a few seismic shocks in my experience but I can truthfully say that none of them were able to completely destroy me because in every situation I had an underlying peace that kept me from falling. Yes, I felt the shocks, but they were only that, not anything that could destroy my confidence that God was going to help me through the situation.
  
• A drainage mechanism, i.e., something to keep water from pooling in the soil around you. Psalm 46:4 says, “There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God.” The moving stream made me think of the drainage – no spiritual water is pooling around me when my faith is in God. I am constantly being refreshed by His Spirit to my spirit. My human, earthly house has no shifting soil that could cause it to fall.
  
• Structural reinforcement, i.e., frames that transfer the earthquake forces from the roof and floors to the foundation. Psalm 46:6: “The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts." God is in control and is the Ruler of all the forces of the world, both physical and spiritual. His voice is all the structural reinforcement I need to keep my life secure. My regular and frequent visits to God's Word keep me hearing His voice. That voice transfers all my fear to my foundation - my faith in God alone.
• Use of building materials able to absorb large amounts of energy without breaking. Psalm 46:10 sums up this spiritual application: "Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth." My faith in Almighty, Exalted God - my knowledge of His holiness and goodness absorb each trial, each unsettling experience, leaving me still strong.
  

All said, I have an earthquake-proof life in God. I have peace and confidence. As long as I keep my safe-guards (my foundation, my dampers, my drainage, my structural reinforcement) in place, I cannot fall or be destroyed.