The Name Above All Names

 

Elevation Worship sits at the top of my Spotify playlists.  Elevation Worship is the worship ministry associated with Elevation Church in Charlotte, NC.  Steve Furtrick is one of the pastors there, and he, along with some of his peers, wrote the song, "Jesus Be the Name."   The lyrics focus on the authority, character and exultation of Jesus, placing His name above all the other names in our world that distract us from him.    I love this stripped down performance in the warehouse featuring Jonsal Barrientes.  Take a few minutes to meditate on the power and the love that Jesus represents.

Fan For Life

Two decades ago, there were four years when I didn't care much for Tim Tebow.  I didn't know him personally, but I knew he had a nasty habit of beating my alma mater, UGA, while leading the Gators.  Many criticized Tim because he wore his faith on his sleeve (and painted on his face).   But at the same time, there are people like me who disliked how he treated us on the football field, but came to admire his performance both on and off the field.  He has been active in the Fellowship Of Christian Athletes, and one of the high school students he met there was Bo Nix.  Tim encouraged him, and no one knew that the two would some day quarterback the same NFL team.  This past week, the two exchanged jerseys on the Bronco's podcast.  It is so inspiring to see two athletes who perform at the highest level speaking openly about their respect for each other and their love for Jesus. Fan for life.

The Key

After 20 years of practicing as a cardiovascular surgeon in Washington state, Susan looked back on her career as one that was both accomplished and exhausting.  She had spent the heart of her life taking care of her patients, her husband and her two kids.  On her 50th birthday, her dad gave her an unusual gift: a key in a wooden box lined with felt.  Under the key was a note that said, "This key has been in our family for generations.  We hope you will take good care with it." Susan finished opening her other gifts and then put the box with the key on the shelf in their great room.  She then immediately started cleaning up the house from the day's festivities.  The next day, she was back at work healing her patients.  Twelve years later, Susan's father was diagnosed with colon cancer and died 3 months after diagnosis.  As  she was looking for mementos to share at her father's funeral, she came across the box with the key.  She opened the box to look at the key for the first time since receiving it.   Engraved on the key were the words, "Wonderland/Kautz".   She wished that she had taken time with her dad to understand more about the key, and none of her other family members knew where it had come from.  She went to her computer and Googled the two words.   She learned that Kautz Creek is one of the access points to Wonderland Trail near Mt. Rainier National Park. Despite living in the area for all that time, she had never been inside the park.  She now had a reason to go.  The following Sunday, she left for Wonderland Trail with her key in hand.  After walking for just under 2 hours, she saw a cabin in the distance.  No signs identified the cabin, and it was the first structure she had seen that looked like it could be connected to the key.  She approached slowly.  There were no signs of activity and the cabin appeared to have been closed up for years.  All of the windows were boarded shut.  She attempted to put the key into the deadbolt on the front door, but it didn't fit.  She noticed a small crack between the door and the door jamb.  She gave the door a solid push and it flung open.  The cabin furnishings were sparse and a layer of dust covered everything.  There was no electricity in the house.   With the front door open, there was enough light to move through the cabin without tripping.  There was a solid door at the rear of the cabin with a small hand-painted sign above it that read: "Explore quietly. Rest well."  Susan pulled on the door, but it was locked.  She took the key from her pocket, inserted it into the deadbolt and the key turned freely.  Upon opening the door, the majesty of Mt. Rainier and the surrounding national park were revealed. She experienced an overwhelming feeling of peace and joy that she had never felt before.

The post above is fiction and inspired by Chapter 5 of Dallas Willard's "The Great Omission".

"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven".  Matthew 16:19.