April 26.

You were made for God.

For the Lord will not cast away his people for his great namesake

because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself.

1 Samuel 1222.

The name of God often refers to his reputation, his fame, his renown.

This is the way we use the word name when we say someone is making a name for himself.

Or we sometimes say, that's a name brand. We mean a brand with a big reputation.

This is what I think Samuel means in 1 Samuel 1222,

when he says that God made Israel a people for himself

and that he would not cast Israel off for his great namesake.

This way of thinking about God's zeal for his name is confirmed in many other passages.

For example, in Jeremiah 1311, God describes Israel as a waistcloth or belt with which God chose to highlight his glory,

even though there were times when Israel was temporarily unfit.

For as the loincloth clings to the waist of a man,

so I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to me, declares

the Lord, that they might be for me a people, a name, a praise, and a glory.

But they would not listen.

Why was Israel chosen and made the garment of God?

That it might be a name, a praise, and a glory.

The words praise and glory in this context tell us that name means fame or renown or reputation.

God chose Israel so that the people would make a reputation

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