There is only one name that will really make a difference. You could try to use any other name you’d like but all of them will end up failing you at some point. So I’d like to just save you the time and effort. Now I know some of you are thinking well he’s a pastor so that’s why he’s telling us all of this. He kind of has to doesn’t he? Well, no I don’t have to, but I’ve found that nothing else will do. 

We all have those questions about life. Things like why did this happen to me, where was God when…, why do good things happen to bad people. Some of us are alone and lonely. Some of us are dealing with struggles that no one else seems to understand. Maybe your family is broken and you don’t know where to turn. Maybe you’re just empty and hollow and don’t know what to do. Now in any of these moments you can try a multitude of different options. You can try to find yourself at the bottom of a bottle of alcohol. You can try to find a friend at the end of a needle. You can lose yourself on a street corner trying to find someone to love you only to find that they just want to use you.

Now for some of you I have no authority whatsoever in your life and I haven’t yet earned your trust but I’m going to try nonetheless. None of these things will fix anything. None of them will help you. None of them will get you through life. Sure they may dull the pain for a minute. They may even make you feel accepted for a minute or two but they won’t last. The alcohol will eventually dry up. The drugs in your system will wear off. The men or women to whom you are throwing yourself looking for love aren’t the ones who will be with you forever. There’s only one name that will do.

His name is Jesus. Just saying his name is pretty powerful. Just calling on him somehow makes my knees weak. His name never dries up, the effects of his name never wear off, and he will never stop loving you. A favorite saying of mine is there’s nothing you can do to make God love you anymore and there’s nothing you can do to make him love you any less. 

Today remember that you are love not by a bottle or a needle or a group of john’s on the street corner. You are loved by the one who gave himself for you. You are loved by the one whose name is Jesus. May his name bring comfort to you now and always.