DAY ONE - JESUS
Pause
“For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures… There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”
Acts 4:11–12
Take a few moments to grow still before God. Quiet the noise within and around you. Offer Him your full attention—heart, mind, and body.
Today we linger on the name of Jesus--why it matters, why it changes us.
Ask the Holy Spirit to awaken fresh wonder as you consider belonging to the One whose name means salvation.
Ponder
“Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
and gave him the name above all other names,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.”
and gave him the name above all other names,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.”
Philippians 2:9–10
Let the rhythm of those words steady your heart.
Breathe deeply as you say a few times: Jesus Christ is Lord.
Around the year 200 AD, a young mother named Perpetua faced death in the Roman colosseum--with joy on her face. An early Christian martyr, her story has inspired believers for centuries.
Though Perpetua’s family and friends had begged her to deny Christ, she refused till the end. The crowds roared as the angry bull began to circle her, kicking up dust.
Stories like these confound me. I am moved by such tales, perplexed by their sacrifice. What drives them?
The answer is perhaps reflected in something Luke wrote about the apostles after their first real bout with persecution. They’d been arrested for teaching in the Temple courts about Jesus...
flogged, and told they must never speak in His name again.
Yet they would not stop. No fear. No shame. Only joy in the suffering.
“The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus.” (Acts 5:41)
The apostles loved the name of Jesus, were willing to suffer disgrace for it.
Jesus means Yahweh is salvation. When Mary was told to give this name to her baby boy, it carried the weight of divine promise—the fulfillment of a joyful destiny for anyone who would believe.
Think of it. Sin had ravaged the human race. Human Beings had lost their true selves. We all lived in shadows, broken and bound by darkness, within and without. We could not experience the communion with God for which we were created.
Then Jesus came—to seek and to save all that had been lost (Luke 19:10):
Forgiveness. Wholeness. Identity. Liberation. Intimacy with God.
In His living and dying and ascending again to His rightful place as the exalted Christ, Jesus became salvation.
For over 2000 years, those who have experienced the wonder of this have willingly— joyfully suffered for the name of Jesus.
Some who watched Perpetua face death in the arena that day deemed it a triumph, describing the scene in awe:
“If they trembled, it was not with fear but with joy. Perpetua followed the group with light steps, as a true bride of Christ. She, the beloved of God, moved all who saw her with that great spirit in her eyes.”
Jesus… Yahweh is salvation — what we could never do, He has done, fulfilling the sacred trust inherent in His name.
The name of Jesus is a precious jewel—a treasure that reminds us of all we have been saved from...
and all that we have been saved for.
Beautiful name… blessed name… Jesus.
Pray
Quietly speak Philippians 2:9–10 as a prayer:
Jesus, You are in the place of highest honor.
Jesus, Your name is above every other name.
Jesus, I bow before You now…
What are three ways you have experienced Jesus as Savior in your own life? Reflect on how these experiences reveal who He is.
Spend a few minutes in stillness, asking God for fresh revelation.
What do you think of when you imagine yourself living with passion for the name of Jesus?
Wait in Jesus’ presence. Worship Him.
Write a prayer of response.
Practice
Let the name of Jesus be on your lips throughout the day. Pause often to inhale saying softly: Jesus. Exhale saying confidently: You make me whole.