Skip to main content

Walk In The Name Of What?

Walk in the name of your god?  Sounds kind of quaint and even old school!  But come on now, who really does that anymore?    

According to the Word of God, we all do: “For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever.”  (Micah 4:5)

Could this be referring to a protest march?  Probably not!  But, in an effort to get to the bottom of this, I’ll try the journalistic questions of who, what, when, where, and why? 

The “who” is somewhat uncertain.  Some translators use the word nations.  Other translators use the word people.  It also could refer to individuals.  But it does say “all”, as in everyone!  Whether we know it or not, believe it or not, acknowledge it or not, we all walk in the name of something and that something often becomes our god.

The “what” is significant.  When we walk in the name of something, it usually means we identify with that something.  Furthermore, our values typically align with that something’s values.  Thus we tend to walk in, or live by, those aligned values.

The “when” is probably not referring to a walk that is scheduled at a certain time of the day.  The assumption appears to be that when our values align with those of that something, we tend to live them out all of the time.

The “where” is probably not referring to an organized walk with a published route. When our values align with those of that something, we tend to live them out wherever we are.

The “why” is really a matter of the heart.  In a recent blog, I wrote about people taking idols into their hearts (Ez 14:3).  Idols that are taken into our hearts usually grab our attention, affection and allegiance.  So also it is with that something that we walk in the name of, it typically has grabbed our attention, affection and allegiance.

When we walk in the name of the Lord our God, it is an indicator that our attention, affection and allegiance are directed toward Him.  That is His desire for us.

You are going to walk in the name of something.  Best to walk in the name of the Lord your God all the days of your life!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Can't Get No Satisfaction

One of the songs that were popular in my youth was not particularly upbeat or helpful but it probably did express some of the angst of my generation.  It was not one that particularly resonated with me but as I recently read the book of Haggai, it did come to mind, well, at least some of the lyrics did.  It was the Rolling Stones song with the lyrics “I can’t get no satisfaction”.  Take a look at the chorus of that bleak song:   I can't get no satisfaction; I can't get no satisfaction; Gonna try and I try and I try and I try; I can't get no - I can't get no –   Now take a look at Haggai 1:6 – “ You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.” It sure sounds like the people of Judah couldn’t get any satisfaction with the things of life that normally should have brought some type of s...
Post a Comment
Read more

Hide Not...

Over the centuries, the words have brought great comfort and encouragement.   The words are often used as a benediction or a blessing:   The Lord bless you and keep you: The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you: The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.   (Num 6:24-26)   What in the world is a countenance?  By definition, it is a person's face or facial expression. So if the Lord’s face shines upon us and if He lifts up His countenance upon us, what does all that mean? It means that He is giving us His attention.  But even more so, His face shining upon us gives us t he picture of a beaming face like that of a parent for their beloved child.  And the reference to Him lifting up His countenance points to God extending divine favor and peace to us. Sometimes we can appreciate things more by seeing opposites.  The opposite of a lifted face is a face that has fallen, perhaps because of sham...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Fewer, the Better and the Simpler, the Better!

Sometimes, the fewer the words, the better…  Many would probably argue that the most important words in the English language, when strung altogether in the right order, are just three simple words.  And each of those three words is just a one syllable word.  So, not only the fewer the better but also, as a bonus, the simpler, the better! Oh, the three words…they are “I love you” – few, simple and altogether meaningful!      God used them to encourage His people, the people of Israel :  “You are priceless to me. I love you and honor you. So I will trade other people for you. I will give up other nations to save your lives.” (Isa 43:4) The significance of the words “I love you” is inestimable, especially when used in a way that communicates value and commitment And when you look at Jeremiah 31:3, you see a past tense of those words so that “I love you” is “I have loved you”.  But that’s not all that the verse says, the “I have loved y...
Post a Comment
Read more