365 Days of the Great Names of God, Day 179: For the Sake of His Name

For the Sake of His Name

"But you, Sovereign LORD, help me for your name’s sake; out of the goodness of your love, deliver me." (Psalm 109:21 NIV)

God has a well-stocked tool kit at His divine disposal when He wants to get our attention in His Word. The whole of God's great love letter is right, true, and for our instruction. But when God says something over and over, it's the Sovereign Lord's equivalent of "I've said it once and I'll say it again...." 

We would do well to listen up.

A quick search of Bible verses with the keywords "name" and "sake" turned up 20 results straight away...which tells me there's something about "for His name's sake" that God doesn't want us to miss.

We are image-bearers of God: we are made in His likeness, and one of our jobs on this planet is to make the One whose image we bear look good. He IS good (and great), of course; our task is to represent that goodness faithfully so that people who cannot see God in the flesh can see Him in our flesh.

God wants His name—His character, His nature, His cause—represented well, not because He's on some kind of ego trip but because He knows that to know His name is to know Him and to know Him is to find satisfaction for a place in our souls that cannot be filled up any other way.

God does what He does for us to show who He is in us. For the reputation of His name. For the proof of His name. For the sake of His name.

For the sake of His name Yahweh-Raah: "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake" (Psalm 23:1-3).

For the sake of His names Rock and Fortress: "Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me" (Psalm 31:3).

For the sake of His name Deliverer: "Help us, God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name’s sake" (Psalm 79:9).

For the sake of His name Spirit of Power: "Yet he saved them for his name’s sake, to make his mighty power known" (Psalm 106:8).

For the sake of His name Sustainer: "For my own name’s sake I delay my wrath; for the sake of my praise I hold it back from you, so as not to destroy you completely" (Isaiah 48:9).

Oh God, You do what You do for the sake of Your name. Help me to make it known.