Your Name is Power

Over the past month we’ve been introducing a new song to the “canon” of First Free’s Weekend worship songs, “Your Name is Power” by the group Rend Collective.  We first heard it in our “virtual listening party” while quarantine was in full swing, ,and I was struck then as I am continually struck now by the effect singing those words as a church has.  Colossians 3:16-17 says:


Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

There is something particularly wonderful about hearing the saints singing to one another encouragement, admonition, and in thankfulness.  As the church gathers, part of what we do is find ways to build one another up (Col 2:7) when we speak, pray, listen to the sermon, and particularly  when we sing.  When we sing “Your Name is Power,” it starts with the bold declaration:

You’re the only answer to the darkness / You’re the only right among the wrong
You’re the only hope among the chaos / You are the voice that calls me on
After a brief chorus, the church shakes as it sings out:
Your Name is Power over darkness / Freedom for the captive
Mercy for the broken and the hopeless
Your name is Faithful in the struggle / Glory in the struggle
Mighty it won’t let us down or fail us / Your name is POWER!

What a delight it is in the world that is increasingly chaotic, increasingly toxic to Christianity, increasingly angry at everyone in it we can gather together and encourage one another with these words!  The one true God we worship is the Go that brings calm in the storm, power when we feel powerless, light in the our darkness, hope when we’re discouraged, peace in our calamity, joy in our sorrow…this is the power of the name of Jesus.
So often we forget that.
We look at the problems in the world around us, the difficulties we know are here or on the horizon for our children and we feel like we have no way to surpass the hurdles ahead we can rejoice that the power comes not from ourselves but from the person of Jesus Christ.  It is by resting in His strength that we can move forward with confidence, for HIS name is POWER! 

For His Glory,
​-Pastor Zach