In this (3) three-part series we took a look on action taken on behalf of someone else.
In the first (1st) episode we saw where David as king allowed a handicapped young man to sit at the Kings table indefinitely. For Jonathan’s his friend’s sake. Who from his grandfather’s reputation did not deserve this level kindness but, David remembered he’d made a vow to Jonathan his friend that, when he became King would show kindness to the household of Saul.
You will also remember Paul using the same words for Christ’s Sake. For Christ’s Sake he endured persecution, for Christ’s Sake he endured hardship, for Christ’s Sake he endured the stigma of being called a fool, for Christ’s Sake he ultimately lost his life.
This week we would like to look on the phrase “For My Sake “let’s read it in Isiah 48:9-13 “For my name’s sake will I differ my anger, and for my praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off. Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furness of affliction.
For my own sake, even for my own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? And I will not give my glory unto another. Harken unto me, oh Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last. Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together “.
(Here the Lord is saying to us that for his sake, he is controlling his anger and for his praise, he’s constraining himself from cutting them off. Here the lord is prepared to show mercy to his people, so that his name be not polluted. The emphasis here is strong in V11 when the Lord said “For mine own sake, even for mine own sake will I do it “. God is consistent because we learn in another passage where he says, “It is his right hand and his Holy arm that has gotten him the victory”. Therefore, the love we receive, the grace that we experience, the forgiveness that we have shown, it is not on our merits but, he has done it for his own sake. The last verse in this passage says, “my hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens”. when I call unto them, they stand up together”. This is God’s Sovereign ability in full display. Whatever he does in the entire universe it’s for his own sake and glory. God owes us nothing, we owe him everything!
God will not allow his name, his character, his glory, or even his mercy to be polluted by the crafty nature of the enemy, so whatever God does, he did it for his own name’s sake, to God be the Glory.
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