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, for Samuel 12, 22.

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 12,

22, 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 waste cloth or belt

with which God chose to highlight His glory, even though there were times when Israel was temporarily

unfit, for as the loin cloth clings to the waste of a man, though 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 for Him. God says in Isaiah 4321 that Israel is the people whom I formed for

that they might declare my praise. And when the church came to see itself in the New Testament

as the true Israel, Peter described God's purpose for us like this. You are a chosen race that you

may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

First Peter 29. In other words, Israel and the church are chosen by God to make a name for him

in the world. This is why we pray first and foremost, hallowed be thy name, Matthew 6, 9. This is

why we pray, lead us in paths of righteousness for your namesake of Psalm 233. When we speak of being

a God-centered people, remember this is because we are joining God in His God-centeredness.

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