They came back pretty pumped. Luke writes that “the seventy returned with joy” (Luke 10:17). Jesus had sent them out two by two as reconnaissance teams, that they should go “into every city and place where He Himself was about to go” (10:1). They were to go in the power of Name of Jesus and they were to proclaim that the kingdom of God was near (10:9). And when they returned, they were on such a high.

“Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name,” was their report. How cool was that? They knew it wasn’t their own power or own doing, it was the authority possessed by the Name of the Son of God . . . but they were hands on conduits of that power and authority and they saw, and did, and experienced some amazing things. And they came back beaming . . . high-fiving . . . each with stories to tell . . . what a rush . . . what joy. Did it get any better than this? Yup!

Jesus responded to them that, indeed, Satan was fighting a losing battle . . . that certainly, they had been given authority to do mind-boggling signs and wonders in order to validate the message of the coming kingdom . . . “Nevertheless,” said Jesus, “do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

How’s that for a bit of perspective? How’s that for a bottom-line view of where true joy is sourced from? It is from the knowledge, that by the grace of God, and the atoning sacrifice of His Son, and the convincing work of the Holy Spirit, mixed with the exercise of faith, my name is written in heaven. Isn’t everything else just a bonus? Now, I’m not trying to minimize at all the joy I’ve known, and continue to know, through the blessings of God . . . but, if I’m picking up what Jesus is putting down, the well of joy is not found in what I’ve received or what, by God’s favor, I have done. For those things can change tomorrow (remember Job?). As great as it might be to cast out demons, the bedrock of joy comes in the grasping of the realities and implications of my salvation.

My name is written in heaven. How amazing is that? There’s a reservation card with my name on it placed on the table which has been set for the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19:7-9). There’s a name tag written and waiting for me — written on a white stone . . . the name only known at this time by the One who died to redeem me and now lives again . . . the name one day to be shared with me as a special gift from my Savior (Rev. 2:17). My name is written in a Book of Life, granting me entrance one day into His glorious presence (Php. 4:3, Rev. 21:27) where, face to face, it won’t be about what I’ve done or the blessings I’ve received, but about who He is and what He’s done and the gratitude and joy I’ll try to express in appreciation for the fact that my name is written in heaven.

And as I think about this, I think about a song that speaks to the nature of the ink that is used to write my name in the Book of Life, and to write up my reservation card, to pen my name tag . . . the ink used by God to express the depths of His love for me. The song writers says that it’s “written in red” . . . written with the blood of Christ. That blood shed on Calvary’s cruel cross for my sin . . . that blood serving as the once for all atoning sacrifice for my transgression . . . that blood capable of cleansing and redeeming and restoring. It’s the ink used to describe the depths of the love of God for a lost creation. It’s the ink used to show the way to the Father. It’s the ink that inscribes my name in heaven. “Rejoice,” says Jesus, “because your names are written in heaven.” Amen.

Got 5 minutes time to check out “Written in Red” sung by Janet Paschal?   Click here