I’d like to start this blog with a simple request: Close your eyes. Take a deep breath. And, whether you choose to do this audibly or silently, please sing the simple melody of “There’s Just Something About That Name.” Be sure to focus on each word and let them sink in (I know you know them). But, just in case your memory has slipped, here are the lyrics:

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus … there’s just something about that name.
Master, Savior, Jesus … like the fragrance after the rain.
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus … let all heaven and earth proclaim
Kings and kingdoms will all pass away, but there’s something about that name.

If you’re like me, you either have tears in your eyes (or rolling down your cheeks), a smile on your face, and peace in your heart from that simple act (or all of the above). Not a bad way to start your day or pause in the middle of it, right?

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the pandemic and how we will never, ever forget the name of the virus, COVID-19. To hear it immediately evokes an emotion—and most likely not a positive one. Add quarantine, facemask, and ventilator to the list and you get the gist.

But just as COVID-19 makes us feel a particular way, so does Jesus. The word alone is the epitome of shelter in a time of storm, refuge for our weariness, and a hug on a hard day. Those five letters encompass a lifetime of love and understanding. Passionate positivity simply oozes from His name and the entire universe knows its significance.

Without a doubt, 2020 hasn’t gone the way we’ve expected. Phrases like “new normal” and “unprecedented” have bombarded every newspaper, evening news update, and social media post we’ve seen. Those words aren’t for the faint of heart; to some, it is our new reality.

But we know of another reality—one filled with blessings beyond our imagination and peace that passes understanding. While we call Him Jesus, He calls us friend. He uses words like trust, be still, and faith. When we look up at the sky, He’s looking right down on us.

I’m not even going to attempt to predict what may happen next for us. However, as the song you sang earlier states, “Kings and kingdoms will all pass away … but there’s something about that name.” Things of this life will come and go—but One remains forever.

Promise me this: When everything else swirls around us, close your eyes. Take a deep breath. Sing that song. Instead of focusing on the popular C-virus word, choose the better one—Christ—instead. Remember that you are a child of the King—and know that He is harmonizing along with you. Come back to Him as often as you need.

Because there’s just something about that name.

This article has undergone ministry review and approval.