Micah 4:5
5 All the nations may walk
in the name of their gods,
but we will walk in the name of the Lord
our God for ever and ever.
I find today’s verse intriguing! What does it mean to walk ‘in the name of ‘ something or someone? Most of the time, when this phrase crops up in the Old Testament it seems to be to do with speaking. People bless or prophesy ‘in the name of the Lord’ - in other words, they speak with his authority, and say things consistent with what God himself says. Or else they ‘trust in the name of the Lord’, looking to him to be their help and hope. But how do you ‘walk in the name of the Lord’? Perhaps the first half of the verse gives us a clue. There’s definitely a stark contrast between the way that the nations walk and the way God’s people are to walk. At the start of this chapter we saw that ‘in the last days’, the nations will flock to worship God as he deserves. But at the time Micah is writing, that’s definitely not the case: instead of walking towards the true God, the nations are walking in the name of their own gods. God’s people are called to be different. They are not to walk in step with those around them. Instead, they are to walk ‘in the name of the Lord their God’ They are to go his way, not the world’s way. They are to walk in ways consistent with God’s character. For example, they should be marked by peace and justice, and by trusting God to provide for them instead of fighting to get what they want.
I suppose it’s a bit like the people who walk to raise money for a charity. Whether it’s a small local stroll, or an 100k ultra-trek, sponsored walkers can often be identified out in teams, in matching T-shirts showing the logo of the charity that they represent. As they walk in the name of their chosen charity they not only raise money but also awareness of their cause. It’s obvious whose name they are walking under. The same should be true of us. It should be obvious by the way we walk - that is, the way we speak, think and act - whether we belong to the so-called gods of the world, or the true and living God. Walking in the name of our Lord will mean being out of step with those around us, and so we will need his help and strength to keep going. So let’s ask him to help us in that today.
