Names - By Mark Cahill

As most of you know, I played basketball back in the day. I really used to love that sport. It was such an idol in my life. The good news for me now is that sports have taken a huge back seat as I walk through this world. I follow them a little bit, but in no way does it have the same pull in my life like it used to, and I am very glad about that! Have you ever had an idol in your life that you have now put to the side? Isn’t it a great feeling knowing that it isn’t as important anymore? To me, It is one of the best feelings in the world!

I happened to read an article recently about Shaquille O’Neal. As I read it, I ran across a very interesting statement.

“I know I will play in the NBA next season,” said O’Neal. “International? No. The good thing about me and my career is I came in, did it my way, did more than expected. For every athlete or every great person, there’s a time when it has to end. When and if it ever ends it will be very graciously.”

“We’re going to have a big party. We’re going to have a ceremony, and the next thing I’ll be waiting for is the entrance into the place where your name will never be forgotten.”
(http://sports.espn.go.com/boston/nba/news/story?id=5434969)

Now what got me about that last paragraph was ‘the place where your name will never be forgotten.’ Of course, he was talking about the Basketball Hall of Fame. And any basketball player knows that would be one of the major highlights of your career to reach that goal. For many it would be the pinnacle. Of course, there is only one problem. I dare you to go to the Hall of Fame and walk around. You will see these plaques with people’s names on them and you will ask the question, “Who is that?” So even if you got enshrined there, people would still forget who you are! You see, Shaq had set his sights very low.

Philippians 4:3 says,
“And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.”

Revelation 20:12 states,
“And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.”

What Shaq doesn’t realize is that there is a place where he really, really wants his name to be written.

It is the Book of Life.

God will be opening that book one day. It will have the names of people that are born again. Is your name in there? It is all that will matter the day you die. If it is written in there, what are you doing to make sure others names are written in there as well?

If you think about it, there are plenty of places where we don’t want our names written:

* A tax notice from the IRS
* A traffic ticket
* A disciplinary report from school
* Some will say an obituary page
* An eviction notice
* Bankruptcy papers
* A non sufficient funds statement from the bank

But also, there are tons of places where we do want our names written:

* A MVP Trophy
* A Report Card with Straight A’s
* A Promotions List
* The Dean’s list
* A Lottery Check

Those all sound really good in one sense, but if your name is not written in the Book of Life, it literally has been a life not worth living.

Jesus says in Luke 10:20 says,
“Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.”

Mark Cahill