And he called upon ...
1. To put a name upon, to surname - to be given a name that intimately connects the recipient to a distinct family.
You really would not understand; neither did I ... until the Light of the True Day sliced the truth of its revealing rays right through the mirage of my life of debilitating squaller. I looked at what I had become under the scrutiny of these defining rays, and was truly appalled by the scars caused by my choices. When I was tossed like a filthy rag into the gutter of darkness, my enemy whispered that my name was "Mud". "Please, if there is a Father of Lights give me a name that connects me to more than this ruin!" And he called upon ...
2. To permit one's self to be surnamed - the will must bow and the spirit must yield to receive the eternal surname.
"Well if Mud would be my name, then I would show them what Mud was made of!" And my life became more and more disconnected until this Pure Light began touching my filthy life. Almost like a scanner from head to toe and back again, my cancerous flaws were exposed for the oozing mess that they really were. The Rays of the light seemed to carry a power within them that moved me to begin loathing what was revealed on the surface of my life. At the same time the Rays would pause to reveal the true lost condition of my heart and soul ...fear swept over my soul ... "Please, I am lost and a stranger to whoever You are ... Please reveal Your Name!" And he called upon ...
3. To be named after someone - this is the name of another that becomes the name that defines our life - who we are.
My life to date was defined by the name given by my enemy, Mud; and I am quite sure that I have been fulfilling the prophesy of that name over me. All the while it had made me a nobody with no lasting purpose, with no real power over my fall, and no strength to pull myself out. "Please, tell me your name for I am nobody desperately in need of somebody to pull me out!" And he called upon ...
4. To call out a reason for the crime and realizing the charge associated with the crime (and reproach) and summon the prosecution to lay the blame where it must rightfully fall.
The Light had performed it's perfect work, for now I stood naked, scarred, and truly alone with my name and my crime. The blame had fallen on me and I was all but undone until ... Out of the darkness of the mist of hopelessness there arose a sweet song and strange sight as my eyes were now able to see: I saw the torn image of a man being gently lowered from a cruel, rugged frame of torture and death. Those lowering Him looked my way and spoke into my soul - "He did this for your crimes, your nakedness, your scars, and your loneliness." At first I wanted to deny that I was in need as spoken to, but how foolish it is for the naked to pretend that they are clothed. So I cried out... "If this was for me, I want His Name ... Please tell me His Name!" And he called upon...
5. To call to invoke the Name as helper, witness, ultimate judge and deliverer.
The vision and words of the servants who lowered the Man...had me on my knees in a moment of surrender. With my eyes closed, I pleaded for whatever the Dead Man could offer to save me from what I had made of me. When my words ceased, near by me there was a hiss, and then a whisper that oozed out a sympathetic sounding question, "But what can a dead man do for you? ... He is dead!" Then I called upon, still I knew not whom ... "If He is dead then I must be dead too ...please tell me his Name!" And he called upon ...
6. To call upon by pronouncing the Name as the explanation and expression of the fact that this Living One is the Way, the Truth and the Life - there is NO OTHER way to the Father but by Him. When I opened my eyes within that moment of my fear and hopelessness - I saw a bright mist now gathering about an empty cave like tomb, and one all dressed in the pure light that had shown on me saying --" The One who you seek is not among the dead, He is Risen!" All that was within me cried out, "Please tell me His Name so that I may call upon Him!" "His Name is Jesus!"
And he called upon the Name of the Lord, Jesus!
Epikaleomai - call upon...
Romans 10:13 - "For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the LORD shall be saved."
Romans 10:14 - "How shall they call on Him whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?"
HLFA,
Jeff