How are you doing making a name for God? If you’re a Christian, you have a vital part to play in making a name for God. But none of us can do our part unless we first know what our part is.
The Book of Ezekiel is uniquely concerned with making a name for the Lord—90 times He says He wants His name to be known throughout the world. And in Chapter 36, the Lord tells us what part believers are supposed to play. But you’re gonna have to pay close attention to catch it:
“...It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name...” (Ezek 36:22-23)
The Lord explains that He is about to act to vindicate His name because His people profaned it by needing to be sent away from Him for their sin. They gave Him a bad name by living like honoring Him wasn’t important. How will He make a name for Himself? In short by saving His people (“I will bring you into your own land,” “I will sprinkle clean water on you,” “I will give you a new heart,” “I will put my Spirit within you,” Ezek 36:24-27). All the “I wills” gives the impression that it’s only the Lord who has a part in making a name for Himself in saving sinners. That is, until Verses 37-38:
“Thus says the Lord GOD: This also I will let the house of Israel ask me to do for them: to increase their people like a flock. Like the flock for sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”
Did you catch that? Did you catch what part you are to play if you’re a Christian? It’s by asking the Lord to make Himself known by increasing the number of Christians like a flock of sacrifices in Jerusalem during her appointed feasts. For background, Jerusalem normally about about 50,000 people in it. But the city would swell with millions of people and 300,000 animals for sacrifice during feasts like Passover. Our part is to ask, Lord, please, make Your Name Great by saving more and more sinners!
Here’s my exhortation: Pray plenty for the Lord to save many. Play your part—daily, desperately ask the Lord to save more sinners; to stuff His Church—not just with sheep, but with sheep for sacrifice—to find and save people who are totally devoted to His name; who offer their whole lives in worship to Him!
So, again, I ask: How are you doing playing your part?
