Rotten

A few weeks ago we went to a new church with some volunteers.  A lady told me the name of the church was Rabi.  Most churches are named by the village name.  The lady said, “Our village name was 'Kilong' - in the tribal language that means 'rotten' or 'smells bad'.  A long time ago some men were killed here and left to rot in the open without burial.  That became the name of this place.”

Some months ago a circuit (zone) Nazarene Missions president met some people at Kilong and began to pray with them in their home.  They started a church.  Later God gave a man a vision to change the name from Kilong to Rabi (the Pidgin spelling of Rabbi, or Teacher).  They then changed the name to show the change God had made in that community.  God took a place that was rotten, that smelled, and made it a place to proclaim and teach about God.

We believe in a God who changes names!  A God who calls us not by what we have been, but what he can make us to be.  Abram was an old man without children but God called him "Abraham" - a father of many nations.  Simon was a fisherman, prone to errors in his thinking and actions, and a disciple who would deny Jesus,  but Christ called him "Peter" - the rock.  God saw in them what He would change them to be with His power. 

We have seen evil, violent men changed by God’s power and become leaders who show righteousness and great patience in trials.  We have seen people with no position and no training be raised up to lead the church in exciting ways.  We have seen illiterate people become pastors.  We have seen womanizers become model husbands that challenge others to change their marriage.  We see a God who has the power to change lives!

Sometimes we get a bad name from our past mistakes and current inadequacies.  People think bad of us and we think bad of ourselves.  But God wants to call each of us by a new name, a name that reflects His righteousness and His power to change our lives from what has been to what He will make us. 

In Rev. 2:17 Christ tells us that he has a new name for each of us no one else even knows.
Don’t be drug down by past problems and failures.  Don't discount what God wants to do in your life because you don't think you are prepared for what He calls you to do.  God wants to call you by what He sees He will produce in you.  So the question is, “What name does God want to give you?”