Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

“And I made known to them your name, and will make it known, in order that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and I may be in them.”

John 17:26

We have been married to Jesus, become His Bride. As such, we are now part of His family in a way that is different (Revelation 21:9) than the way we are a part of His family as children of Adonai (John 1:12-13). We have a UNIQUE relationship with Jesus. We are connected as if we were a single person (Matthew 19:5). We are joined together (Mark 10:9). Jesus loves us. He wants to be with us because of who we are. We get to be with Him because of who He is. And since we are joined together in love, we have ONE name: Jesus’ own. With that comes some privileges. It also comes with responsibility and restriction. But because everything is worked together in His love, there is NO downside.

When you become joined in someone’s name – within marriage or joining a company or adoption – you get the responsibilities and privileges of that name. But you can’t do whatever you want. You have to use the name like THEY use the name. You can’t suddenly access your neighbours chequing account. You can’t inherit your unknown birth parents’ estate. You can’t sell Booster Juice from the McDonald’s drive-thru window. You can’t wear a UPS uniform to deliver Amazon products. You can’t take just anyone’s mail and claim it. The name only works within the framework of the name. Jesus ALWAYS operated within the framework of His family name (John 5:19; 12:49). Jesus ALWAYS operated in order to glorify the Father (John 17:1). There is power in the Name of Jesus, and we do have access to it through Ruach HaKodesh, but just like Jesus we MUST use it for the glory of the Father (Colossians 3:17). If we try to use it in ANY other way, it won’t work. It will fall flat, like a cheque written on an account you have no access to.

Jesus’ Name is all about Jesus’ LOVE. We need to align with that. Ultimately, nothing inside of you will save you or produce ANYTHING of the Kingdom – your only life raft is your willingness to align with Jesus’ TRUTH (the ONLY objective truth) and accept whatever comes along with that, even if it poses uncertainty from your point of view. The only certainty promised is the certainty we have in Jesus to figure things out through Ruach HaKodesh within us and the Word given to us – regardless of how uncertain things might seem. It is only uncertain from OUR point of view. WE are the new element to this relationship. We are brand new to this marriage. We have a LOT to figure out. But from HIS point of view things are as steady as a ROCK. Totally known, totally prepared for, totally planned for, and totally ready for. That is the BLESSING from being in HIS family: no unknowns. Thing is, though, OUR place isn’t to hold all the explanations and the knowings. OUR place is to humbly submit and obey.

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for her; in order that he might sanctify her by cleansing her with the washing of water by the word; in order that he might present to himself the church glorious, not having a spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she may be holy and blameless. Thus also husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. The one who loves his own wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as also Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” (This mystery is great, but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.)” (Ephesians 5:25-32). This isn’t about DOMINATION or CONTROL. This is about mutual LOVE, mutual RESPECT, mutual FORGIVENESS, mutual JOINING, until the man and the woman are ONE. In the same way, we have joined into Jesus WITH Jesus. We are ONE (John 15:5). His Name is OUR Name. We are little Jesuses (Acts 11:26). We are meant to be acting, speaking, thinking, and loving EXACTLY as He did. “The one who says that he resides in him ought also to walk just as that one walked” (1 John 2:6). “and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me, and that life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). It doesn’t happen all at once, but like every other married couple we slowly blend and change and conform to Him until we are just like Him – and He helps us every step of the way (and so does Ruach HaKodesh!). “And we all, with unveiled face, reflecting the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory into glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

We need to stop thinking of ourselves as poor ‘ol poor ‘ols. We are like Jesus and He is like us (1 John 4:17). We have put on His Name and His character which comes with His name like a suit of clothes – or a set of armour – (Galatians 3:27). We were designed to inhabit this role right from the beginning of beginnings (Ephesians 2:10). And it is ALL about aligning with Jesus under His yoke (Matthew 11:28-30) to bring glory to Adonai (Romans 12:1-2). We’re empowered to this lifestyle of being His Bride (2 Corinthians 5:17). Nothing should hold us back. We should embrace who we are in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). A new identity. A new set of bahaviours to learn (Galatians 5:22-23). And a teacher and guide to get us on track, every time, and distraction free (John 14:16). We have a NEW identity. We are HIS. About time we started learning what that was all about. (Hint: it’s LOVE)

Daily Affirmation of the Goodness of Elohim: Deuteronomy 28:1-2

“And it will happen that if you indeed listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, to diligently observe all his commandments that I am commanding you today, then Yahweh your God will set you above all the nations of the earth. And all of these blessings shall come upon you, and they shall have an effect on you if you listen to the voice of Yahweh your God:” How is this for goodness? Adonai brings these people out of oppression (not just slavery, but full-on oppression). He takes them on a journey to a special mountain. He offers to commune with them face-to-face. They reject that, but accept Moses. They worship a golden calf when the teaching takes too long. They reject entering the promised Land. They wander for forty years whining about how He wants to kill them. And then, when an entire generation is dead, and forty years of gripes are endured, He offers them the Land again. Not blindly, but as Acts 7:30-43 shows us, in FULL KNOWLEDGE that they had learned idolatry at their parents’ knees AND that they were still prone to it. They were still uncertain of whether or not Adonai loved them. I get it. It’s hard to imagine an all-powerful deity caring about us. Caring whether we live or die. How we live. If we die. How we act. Imagine a GOD paying attention to us in the vastness of the Universe (not even counting any OTHER universes that may exist). Yet here we are. Inscribed on the palm of His hand (Isaiah 49:16). Sung over (Zephaniah 3:17). to the incredulity of all, He TRULY loves us (Psalm 8). But He does. Boy howdy, but He loves us SO much. He loves us because of who He is, but He loves us MORE because of who WE are. And we don’t even deserve the attention. He CHOOSES to DELIGHT in us. No matter what, He loves us. What a GOOD God!

Your Daily Confession of Elohim’s Goodness:

I taste and see that Yahweh is good; I am blessed because I take refuge in Him.

Psalm 34:8