Carry the Name
At the final session of the Passion Conference this past weekend, the speaker, Louis Giglio, challenged us to carry the name of Jesus Christ to our hometowns and campuses. He gave a very motivating and inspiring talk about how we are chosen to carry the name, but the audience was silenting wondering, how do we practically do that?
In response to our question, Louis Giglio answered, "I don't have to tell you how to carry a name. You are a generation that knows how to carry a name." He then rattled off a 5-minute string of names: Eminem, Gaga, Oprah, Michael Jordan, Michael Jackson, Nike, Toms, Coach, Abercrombie and Fitch, Tommy Hilfiger, Hollister, Mary Kay, Lexus, Mac. All of these names are dependent upon our generation to survive. Without us, they would go bankrupt. If we didn't carry their names, they would be out of business. We are a generation that knows how to carry a name.
We are called to do that with the name of Jesus Christ.
This week, I have challenged myself remember and apply that message to my life. It has become my ministry and passion. I want to wear the name of Jesus, represent Him, spread His reputation, and slip His name into as many converstaions as I possibly can.
I have prayed every day for an opportunity to speak His name and spread His fame, and this prayer has been answered in many different (sometimes random) ways. I talked to the lady at the check-out desk in the mini-mart on campus about God's goodness. I spoke about Jesus with my patient in the hospital during my nursing clinical. And when people would ask me about my weekend, it was a perfect opportunity to bring up the Passion Conference and the awesome God who was the center of it all. I served a friend by assisting her with some errands, and God provided an opportunity for me to speak to her about Jesus, too. I carried the name of Jesus to the nursing home this week as a group of friends and I went there to do some spring cleaning. When we were done, we sang old hyms for the residents and broke up into groups to pray with them individually.
Carrying the name of Jesus is not something that you have to travel abroad on a mission trip to do. It is not something that has prerequisites or special qualifications. You don't even have to undergo special training or "spiritualization". Anyone can join this movement, for we are a generation that already knows how to carry a name. All we have to do is apply our name-carrying skills to our faith and put it into action. We just pray for opporuntities and then actively look for them in our daily lives.
How can you carry the name of Jesus today? Where has God placed you? Who will you encounter? I ask you to join me in this adventure as I pray everyday for an opportunity to carry His name. It is a big prayer to pray, but it is exciting to watch God answer it...because He will! He will open your eyes to opportunities that you might not have ever noticed or expected. It is kind of fun - the challenge of searching out opportunities to speak or serve in Jesus' name wherever your feet take you.
Let's all carry the name of Jesus in everything that we do. May His glorious, beautiful, high, and holy name always be on our hearts, on our lips, in our hands, and in our feet. Let's all join this movement and carry His name to every corner of the United States and even other parts of the world!
In response to our question, Louis Giglio answered, "I don't have to tell you how to carry a name. You are a generation that knows how to carry a name." He then rattled off a 5-minute string of names: Eminem, Gaga, Oprah, Michael Jordan, Michael Jackson, Nike, Toms, Coach, Abercrombie and Fitch, Tommy Hilfiger, Hollister, Mary Kay, Lexus, Mac. All of these names are dependent upon our generation to survive. Without us, they would go bankrupt. If we didn't carry their names, they would be out of business. We are a generation that knows how to carry a name.
We are called to do that with the name of Jesus Christ.
This week, I have challenged myself remember and apply that message to my life. It has become my ministry and passion. I want to wear the name of Jesus, represent Him, spread His reputation, and slip His name into as many converstaions as I possibly can.
I have prayed every day for an opportunity to speak His name and spread His fame, and this prayer has been answered in many different (sometimes random) ways. I talked to the lady at the check-out desk in the mini-mart on campus about God's goodness. I spoke about Jesus with my patient in the hospital during my nursing clinical. And when people would ask me about my weekend, it was a perfect opportunity to bring up the Passion Conference and the awesome God who was the center of it all. I served a friend by assisting her with some errands, and God provided an opportunity for me to speak to her about Jesus, too. I carried the name of Jesus to the nursing home this week as a group of friends and I went there to do some spring cleaning. When we were done, we sang old hyms for the residents and broke up into groups to pray with them individually.
Carrying the name of Jesus is not something that you have to travel abroad on a mission trip to do. It is not something that has prerequisites or special qualifications. You don't even have to undergo special training or "spiritualization". Anyone can join this movement, for we are a generation that already knows how to carry a name. All we have to do is apply our name-carrying skills to our faith and put it into action. We just pray for opporuntities and then actively look for them in our daily lives.
How can you carry the name of Jesus today? Where has God placed you? Who will you encounter? I ask you to join me in this adventure as I pray everyday for an opportunity to carry His name. It is a big prayer to pray, but it is exciting to watch God answer it...because He will! He will open your eyes to opportunities that you might not have ever noticed or expected. It is kind of fun - the challenge of searching out opportunities to speak or serve in Jesus' name wherever your feet take you.
Let's all carry the name of Jesus in everything that we do. May His glorious, beautiful, high, and holy name always be on our hearts, on our lips, in our hands, and in our feet. Let's all join this movement and carry His name to every corner of the United States and even other parts of the world!
Comments
Post a Comment