New Name

"The LORD has sent this message to every land:

'Tell the people of Israel,

"Look, your Savior is coming.

See, he brings his reward with him as he comes."'

They will be called 'The Holy People'

and 'The People Redeemed by the LORD.'

And Jerusalem will be known as 

'The Desirable Place'

and 'The City No Longer Forsaken.'"

Isaiah 62:11-12 NLT

My daughter is part of a local Search and Rescue team that spends countless hours looking for people who are missing.  When they go on a mission, those who are in desperate need of help in locating their loved one are so grateful to these dedicated men and women.  They are truly helpless and are in desperate need of expert assistance.  To know there are people who are trained to save lives makes such a difference to many who face such a crisis.

Jesus came to earth on a rescue mission of His own, sent by His Father to save mankind from sin and death, delivering abundant, everlasting life to those who repent and believe!  No one who ever lived was able to save themselves, to be good enough to reach God's perfect standard, to fall outside of the curse of sin (Romans 3:23).  Each of us needs the salvation He offers.  And when we do receive His free gift of life, plentiful and eternal, what a difference He makes (John 3:16, 10:10!  What changes come in His wake?  How does my very identity alter through faith in Him?  Drastically.

Holy.  Naturally, its all about me.  I'm here to fulfill my own desires, to reach the goals I set, to make a name for myself, leaving a lasting mark on this world.  I want people to remember me long after I'm gone, to have warm fuzzies when they think of me.  Even after I surrendered my life to Jesus, turning away from the sin that condemned me to death, I still struggle with this fleshly self-centeredness.  Until I enter into glory, or until Jesus returns, I'll be engaged in this battle between my own tendencies and the Spirit of God's internal influence on my life (Romans 7:14-25, Galatians 5:17).

Once I enter into a relationship with the Holy God through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, I have been given a new identity as one who is set apart for His purposes, who is not here to fulfill an ordinary mission such as providing for my needs and making a living (Matthew 6:31-33).  These are no longer my main purposes, the engine that drives my life.  Now I live for God and am driven by an eternal mission, kingdom objectives, godly passions.  It's no longer all about me.  My new aim is to bring glory to God in all I do, so that people will see me and praise our Father in heaven (Romans 6:13, Matthew 5:16 , Colossians 3:17).  The legacy I long to leave is a heavenly one so that God gets all the credit.

When I trust in Jesus as my Savior and submit to Him as Lord, turning away from my old ways, I become a holy vessel used for His purposes (2 Timothy 2:21, Romans 12:1).

Redeemed.  I was in a bad way, headed down the wrong path, the one that leads to death that most people follow.  Since there were so many around me, I felt secure, as if I was doing the right thing with my life.  In reality, I was headed toward destruction and living on death row as a condemned criminal (Matthew 7:13, John 3:18-19).

Once I submitted to Jesus as Lord, as my King, I entered through the narrow gate and began the bumpy and sometimes solitary journey that leads to everlasting life.  Through faith I've been bought back from bondage to sin, reclaiming my position as a well-loved child and restored into right standing with my heavenly Father (Romans 3:22-26, 1 John 3:1).  Jesus' sacrifice on the cross bought the atonement for my sin that was necessary to redeem my life from the clutches of death.  I am no longer destined to die, but have eternal life as my hope.

When I trust in Jesus as my Savior and submit to Him as Lord, turning away from my old ways, I am redeemed from the rebel ranks and reestablished as a cherished daughter.

Desirable.  She ran after fame and fortune, seeking to fulfill that deep need to be wanted, to feel important, to make a difference in the world.  She loved being on stage with all eyes upon her; it somehow validated her humanity, her value, her worth, giving her a purpose for living.  Without the confirmation she received in the applause for which she hungered, she felt like a nobody who didn't deserve even the air that kept her lungs inflated.  No matter how popular and in-demand she became, however, this woman never truly felt fulfilled or satisfied and died tragically of a drug overdose.

Each of us needs to know our worth.  Every heart desires to be known and fully loved.  All of mankind possesses a hunger and thirst for something intangible.  Lives have been wasted looking in the wrong place to find value, love, and that "something" that will make life worth living.  In Jesus, that longed-for security is found, the unconditional love is received, and that elusive itch is scratched.  Only He can fill the void I long to fill, and only He truly satisfies (John 4:14, 6:35).  

When I trust in Jesus as my Savior and submit to Him as Lord, turning away from my old ways, I will find the mysterious "something" I've been looking for all my life.

When Jesus left His throne and entered into the physical realm, Himself becoming flesh, He did more than provide a way for me to live forever by faith in Him.  As a bonus, He also offered me an alternate identity.  By placing my trust in Jesus, I receive a holy purpose, am redeemed from bondage to sin and death, and have the opportunity to live the desirable life.  In Christ I not only have a hope for the future that extends beyond this life, but I receive a new name that reveals my new identity!  What a difference Jesus makes!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to let go of my old identity and take on my new one in Christ.

When do I cling to the old?

How do I feel unworthy to claim such an identity as I have in Christ?