Skip to main content
Natalie Grants sings in her song Your Great Name, "Every fear; has no place; at the sound of your great name. The enemy; he has to leave; at the sound of your great name." Have you ever invoke the name of God to protect yourself from evil? Many of us begin to pray when we are fearful. Often it is the only time we may pray. We ask God for protection and to save us. Do we really understand what we are asking for from the Lord? Hearing that the enemy must flee when we call on the Lord is a powerful thought. The mere mention of our God's name can bring evil to a halt. She goes on to sing, "sick are healed; and the dead are raised; at the sound of your great name." We know this is true because of our faith but we also have historical proof in the person of Jesus. When Christ lived on earth, he healed many who were sick and he raised some from the dead. It illustrates how powerful our God is. But is that really the message? I think Natalie is telling us to turn our lives over to Christ. She is reassuring us, as she knows through her relationship with Jesus, that He will take care of everything in our lives. The burdens of life are heavy and many people falter each day because of the weight. Jesus lightens the load. Calling out the great name is all that is required to be graced with a life that is more bearable. Call out that great name. Use the name of God for good. So many people use God's name in vain but Natalie tells us that "all the weak; find their strength; at the sound of your great name." Can it really be that simple? Did Jesus come to earth to create a complex religion that requires massive amounts of study to comprehend? I think not. He does want us to be contemplative and to read the Bible but, as Natalie puts it so beautifully, He urges you to say His name. Call on Him by name. Exalt His name.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Praying With The Five Wounds Of Jesus

I am just beginning to dive into the beautiful, ancient devotion to the Five Wounds of Jesus, and I wanted to share a bit of the journey with you. It can feel a little overwhelming at first to look at the Crucifix this closely, but I’ve found such a gentle guide in St. Bernard of Clairvaux . In his Jubilee Rhythm on the Passion, Bernard doesn't treat the wounds of Jesus as distant historical facts or sights to be avoided. Instead, he approaches them with the tenderness of a friend, speaking directly to the feet, hands, side, and face of our Lord. For someone like me who is just starting out, his rhythm teaches that prayer isn't just about reciting words; it’s a holy hide-and-seek. Bernard invites us to literally hide ourselves within these wounds, seeing them as clefts in the rock where we can find shelter when our own lives feel turbulent or heavy. As I start this process, I’ve been practicing what I call gazing and greeting. Following Bernard’s lead, I look at the Crucifix an...
Post a Comment
Read more

Woman, Behold Your Son

The spiritual climax of the Gospel of John, as Father John Waiss points out, occurs at the foot of the Cross, where Jesus utters his parting words: “Woman, behold, your son!” and “Behold your mother!” (John 19:26-27). While these words were addressed to the Apostle John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, the Church has long understood this moment as a universal adoption. To truly image Christ, we must share in His parentage; if we embrace God as our spiritual Father but reject Mary as our mother, we treat Christ as a half-brother rather than our "firstborn among many brethren" (Rom. 8:29). As Origen noted as early as the third century, the profound depths of the Gospel are only accessible to those who, like John, rest their heads on Jesus’ breast and receive Mary into their own homes. This maternal role is deeply rooted in biblical typology, positioning Mary as the fulfillment of the great mothers of the Old Covenant. She is the New Eve , the mother of all the living according ...
Post a Comment
Read more

From Fisherman to Foremen: Peter’s First Act as Shepherd

In the immediate aftermath of the Ascension, we see a profound transformation in Peter, moving from the impulsive fisherman who once fled in the garden to the courageous shepherd of the early Church. By standing up in the heart of Jerusalem to deliver his first great "sermon" at Pentecost, Peter is not merely offering an inspired speech; he is stepping into the primordial role of the Papacy. He was specifically commissioned by Christ on the shores of Galilee to "feed my sheep," and here we see that nourishment take the form of the Word. He takes control of a frightened and confused community, providing the definitive interpretation of the Resurrection and anchoring the fledgling Church in the truth of the Gospel. This moment in the Acts of the Apostles reminds us that the authority of Peter was never about personal power, but about the sacred duty of unity and guidance. By taking the lead in the upper room and before the crowds, Peter demonstrates that the "key...
Post a Comment
Read more