Twelve years ago, something happened in my devotions that became a milestone in my faith.  I was reading Luke chapter 10 when a thought came upon me that I couldn’t let go of. This thought captured me and changed the direction of my walk with God.  Over the years, it has become one of the foundation stones of my relationship with God. It has inhabited my mind every day since it happened and has allowed my relationship with God to supersede all other relationships, and it has never lessened or waivered over time.  I’d like to share it with you.

    Let’s open up Luke chapter 10:1-20 and glean from God’s word.  It starts with Jesus giving His disciples an assignment. There was a lot of thought and planning put into this assignment, which shows us Jesus’ thought process and leadership abilities.  Luke tells about Jesus sending his disciples out with just two in each group (there were seventy-two disciples, so this means there were thirty-six groups). Jesus sent them ahead of him to each town where He was about to go.  He then laid out their mission with pretty specific instructions:

• They were not to take along provisions of their own.  This would emphasize their dependence on God.
• They were to not talk to anyone along the way.  This would set them up for the litmus test coming next.  
• Next, they were to go into the town and whichever house they would enter they were to say, “Peace be to this house.”
• They were then instructed if the man returned their greeting, they were to stay at the house and not move from house to house.  
• In the house of peace, they were to eat whatever they were given, heal the sick, and tell them, ‘the kingdom of God has come near you.’
• Jesus instructed that when they entered a town where they were not welcome, they were to go into the streets and say: “Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.”
• Jesus gave them more encouragement about the importance of their mission and closes with, “Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me, but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

    All of this sets the stage for my discovery in my devotions.  Verse 17 is where my epiphany began to reveal itself. The disciples return to Jesus and tell him that they rejoice that even the spirits submitted to them.  

     Here’s the lesson I learned that changed my life.  In verse 20, Jesus tells them, “… However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”  This statement of Jesus got into my head, my heart, and my soul and hasn’t let go since.    For me, the meaning was strengthened when I reworded it just a bit in a way that drove the point home for me.  I wasn’t brought up in the church so “rejoice” wasn’t a word I used in my everyday life. As I pondered this over time, I kept substituting words to find a phrase that resonated most with me – something in my everyday vernacular that would drive home Jesus’ point here.  I knew if it was to change me personally, it needed to be singular instead of plural. Jesus was talking to His disciples, but the truth was there for each one of them.

    What best resonated with me but still brought out all the meaning that Jesus intended is not the word “rejoice”, but the phrase ‘be amazed’.  Let’s try it on. Instead of “rejoice that your names are written in heaven,” say “be amazed that your name is written in heaven.”

    Now I had the phrase in mind, so if I could go through life being amazed that my name is written in heaven every single day,  how would that change me? How would it change my thoughts, attitude, and commitment? I needed to create a way that I would be reminded of this every day of my life.   I could have posted it on the bathroom mirror or fridge, but for me, those things can become invisible, so I found several other things that work for me. For example, Kim and I have formed several companies.  One is named Be Amazed, LLC and another Be Amazed, Inc. Every time I use one of those companies, I am reminded. Also, my personal email starts with BeAmazed. Whenever I use my email throughout the day, I am reminded that I should be amazed that my name is written in heaven.  Kim liked this reasoning and has incorporated BeAmazed into her email name as well. Since 2007, this phrase has become a major part of the fabric of our lives.

    I find it frustrating when asking a Christian how they are and they say, “Same old, same old.”  Part of me wants to tell them they are blowing the opportunity to live life, that they are not living out the purpose for which they were created.  If they were, they would be amazed their name is written in heaven. They would be excited to live each precious day of this precious life! As believers in Christ, as long as we have a pulse, we have a purpose.  My goal is that every day, for the rest of my life I will be amazed that my name is written in heaven.    Keeping what Christ has done for me at the forefront of my mind has transformed me and will continue to do so.

    Here’s something about all our lives that is true but you may not want to think about.  Unless Jesus returns first, there will come a day when your heart will stop beating and people will gather, say nice things about you and then eat a nice meal.  There are two points I’d like to make here. One, what will they be saying about your relationship with God and how that was mirrored in your life? Secondly, as a Christian, you will be headed for a meeting with your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  The end result of our earthly life should be to hear Jesus say, “Well done good and faithful servant.” That can only happen if we are consciously plugged into Jesus.

     Here are some practical ways to be amazed that your name is written in heaven:

• If you haven’t already, make the decision to accept God’s forgiveness for your life and then make the commitment to live your life for Him.
• Accept that you have an incredible, undeserved favor with God.
• Place something in your life as a daily reminder of this commitment.
• Make sure you tell people about it from time to time to keep the commitment cemented.
• Let this take root and give you strength and support.  When we have God’s Spirit within us, we have an unfair advantage over the rest of the world.  There’s no need to worry or be anxious anymore. Remember, one person with God is a majority.
• This will impact every area of your life, including your marriage!