For His Name’s Sake

Psalm 23 tells us, ‘He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.’ ‘For His name’s sake?’ How can my walk in righteousness have a bearing on His name? How does leading me in a certain direction reflect the goodness of His name? This is so that that His character and His glory, as displayed in my life, may be seen by others, and perhaps help their understanding of how they themselves see God. As a Christian, I am seen as I am, and who I am, according to my behaviour, and lifestyle. And as I live, or am led by God, I present Him to the world and His reputation is on display in all that I say and do. I become a representative of His love and compassion.

Living in and through the name of Jesus illustrates my relationship with Him. God is represented through my life, as honestly as I am able, to show to others the way of a Christian life. As David reminds us: ‘He saved them for His name’s sake, to make His mighty power known’ (Psalm 106:8).

Witnessing God to the world is more than just words of persuasion. It is demonstrated by our personality, our lifestyle, and our behaviour. This presents a great responsibility everywhere we go, and in all that we do, and we need to get it right, otherwise we cast a shadow over His righteousness.

As we live in our new identity as born-again believers, in His name, we become a living reflection of Christ in our lives. ‘And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit’ (2 Corinthians 3:18). This is an on-going transformation, based on the truth of Christ, for which He paid dearly: ‘In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace’ (Ephesians 1:7). Our lives must acknowledge and demonstrate this truth.

This becomes the foundation of our new life in Him, which is revealed by our identity in Him. The responsibility is given to us by God: ‘To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory’ (Colossians 1:27).

‘He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.’ In the meantime, we live in the sustaining and life-giving power of His name, the name that is above every other name, ‘that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow ... and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father’ (Philippians 2:10).