Last Name

For those of you who listen to country music, you may have heard of a song called "My Last Name." (Not the Carrie Underwood song, but the song by Dierks Bently.) As Curtis spoke about taking the Lord's name in vein/making God's name worthless/or failing to lift the Lord's name up when we speak of Him, I thought of Dierks song. Here is a quick quote:

"Daddy always told me, far back as I recall
Son you're part of something, you represent us all
So keep it how you got it, as solid as it came
It's my last name"

This song reminded me of the name that is bestowed upon us when we enter in God's family. We become little Christ’s as we enter into something bigger than ourselves, representing God to the world, entering into a rich heritage, while finding a new vocation in guarding the holiness of God's name as we strive to keep it holy (hallowing it). I was convicted because I often fail to do this. I am the person who, most of the time not even consciously, that puts that negative spin on God. The example Curtis used was saying "I have to go to church," which relays a negative portrait of God/or casting him as a spouse you are stuck with. Instead of enthusiastically sharing the excitement and anticipation of coming to engage in community while worshiping our Lord and Savior/a relationship that you cannot get enough of, wanting everyone to know it (think Tom Cruise jumping on Oprah's couch). I wish I was the latter but I have been formed by this world and it is taking extra long to reshape my worldview and habits. (It's hard to seek God with everything while the entire world is trying to pull you in a different direction)

The sermon also made me think back to Curtis’ example he used during his sermon (and YL) where he identified God as another patch on his letterman's jacket (something he added to his life). I have a hard time relating to this sermon because I am the complete opposite. I am the kind of person who doesn't commit, doesn't wear brands, doesn’t represent (insert anything here) unless I truly believe in it, and I try to disassociate my name with anything that can put a label on me. (Even Christianity at times, scared to tell people I am in seminary). I hate being labeled and confined...simply saying "Matt you can't do that..." makes me want to do it more. When it comes to Christ/Christianity my fear is that I am going to misrepresent Christ but people will see me tied to Him, representing Him. I think that our generation sees so much hypocrisy, lying, and misrepresentation that we want, more than anything, to be true. My fear is that I am going to fail, and due to my failure I will be a hindrance to the Christ's name.

Moving backwards to the first part of the sermon...

Curtis talked about the hours of work that go into learning how to wakeboard (in its fullest intention). There is something I feel he missed, but is equally important...the desire to want to experience wakeboarding at the level it was intended to be experienced at. The muscle memory comes by becoming one with the board (eating, sleeping, and drinking wakeboarding). However, the great wake boarders set their eyes on the ultimate goal, desiring wakeboarding above everything else. Everything falls to the side as the desire to experience wakeboarding as it was intended becomes the ultimate desire. Pain/suffering/soreness is all part of becoming a great wake boarder and without the hardships no one will become a great wake boarder. (You really have to desire to experience wakeboarding at the fullest, just an FYI I am getting old and do not desire the soreness that comes with experiencing wakeboarding at the level I once did) I think of people who are not satisfied with cruzing behind the boat, saying there has to be more.

When I transfer the these images to Christianity (the ultimate desire to experience the Christian life(God/His Kingdom) it takes time, effort, pain, suffering,...all things that are not very enjoying, but it is striving to finish the race saying "There must be more!) I struggle with saying that I want the life that is promised. I think I settle a lot of the time instead of embracing the pain, suffering, and dedication that the commitment Christ requires. I think we all need to ask ourselves where are we settling for less than what God wants for us... (This is the part in wakeboarding where soreness, pain, fear, ect start holding you back). Let's take a plunge together.

In closing, I will add an image of the power of a name: there is a scene in the Lion King where the Hyenas are hanging around saying how when they say Mufasa's name they tremble, it demands respect...I just liked the example and it could have been added if Curtis need a visual image.