Growing up I remember how my mother used to whisper the name, “Jesus, Jesus” as she worked around the house or in the garden, or while driving her car. Back then I didn’t think too much about it. It was just Mom. In retrospect I know that as she whispered His name, it brought her comfort. It brought her peace. It calmed her fears. The Name empowered her as no other name could do.
And although she was not aware that she was doing so, she was teaching me to trust the Name. As I grow older I find myself whispering the name, “Jesus” and I have the same peace, the joy, the hope that my mother knew. Like my mother and her mother before her I am empowered when I speak the Name. His name rolls off my tongue before any other when I am in trouble. Jesus! Help me. His name bubbles out of my heart when I am hear good news. Thank you, Jesus! I exclaim. His name is the one I love to sing about. Jesus, Jesus, there’s just something about that name……
Have you experienced the power of the Name? A story that has circulated the Internet for some time expresses the awesome power:
A friend of mine was driving through an intersection one day and his little four-year-old son was in the car with him. The car door flew open, and the little boy rolled out of the vehicle right into the middle of traffic coming from four ways.
The last thing my friend saw was a set of car wheels just about on top of his son–moving at a very fast rate of speed. All he knew to do was cry, ”JESUS!” As soon as he could bring his car to a halt, he jumped out ran to his son, who was perfectly all right.
But the man driving the car that had almost hit the child was absolutely hysterical. My friend went over to him and started trying to comfort him… ”Man, don’t be upset!” he said. ”My son is all right, he’s okay… Don’t be concerned about it. Just thank God you were able to stop!”
”You don’t understand!” the man responded. ”I never touched my brakes!” Author Unknown
Jesus. What a powerful name. The Scripture says of the name: “Therefore
God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every
name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven,
and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue
should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians
2:9-11)
Do you think the angels are powerful? Yes, they are. But the Scripture tells
us that angels and other spiritual beings in Heaven bow to Jesus. They recognize
and submit to His authority.
Do you think the dinosaurs were powerful creatures? Yes, according to what
we read and hear, they were very powerful. But, the Scripture says that everything
on or under the earth — every created being that lives or has lived on the
earth must bow to Jesus.
Do you think the president of the United States, or the chairman of the United
Nations, or the Prime Minister of England, or Cuba’s Castro are powerful men?
Yes. They have a lot more power than I can imagine having. But, the Scripture
says EVERY Name is in subjection to the Name — the powerful name of Jesus.
Do you think the hurricane, Ivan, was a powerful force? Oh, how powerful and
destructive it is! Even as I wrote these words evacuations were taking place
along the Southern coast. Fear gripped the hearts of fathers and mothers; children
were terrified. But, the Scripture says that the Name of Jesus is above EVERY
Name – yes, even the Name, “Ivan.”
I remember an occasion several years ago during a “tornado” season
in North Georgia. I lived with my mother
in our old farmhouse that my grandparents had lived in until they died and
we had lived in when I was a teenager. The boards creaked and groaned as winds
whipped against the 150 year old house. The power was off, thunder and lightening
was filling the air with electric currents. Several tornadoes had been spotted
in our area and more were being spawned. Mom and I decided we would go to the
basement and wait it out.
I must have dozed off to sleep but I was awakened
by a jolt of lightening followed immediately by a powerful clap of thunder.
The house shook under the power of the storm. I jumped up and ran up to the
living room to see my mother standing in the middle of the room, her Bible
held out straight in front of her. She was saying, “I rebuke you winds
in the Name of Jesus.” She repeated the phrase as she turned to the north,
the south, the east and west. “Are you okay?” I asked her as she
finished. “I am now.” She smiled. “Let’s go to bed.”
I lay in the bed and listened as the storm slowly and steadily abated. In
the next room I heard my mother’s soft, sweet voice saying, “Thank you,
Jesus. Thank, you, Jesus.”
What “name” has you terrified for your life? Is it Cancer? Heart Disease?
Leukemia? Divorce? Unemployment? Hurricane? Tornado? Sickness?
Whisper “Jesus.”
Allow the powerful Name of Jesus to rule and reign over your life. Submit to
His lordship. Bow your heart; bow your knees. Yield yourself to the King of
Kings and Lord of Lords: Jesus.
Jesus. What a beautiful, powerful Name.