By: Juliet Constantine

“Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:20 NKJV)

Organizations keep records for varied reasons - one such record is the register. Registers are usually a list of names which show association with or attendance to school, work, and even church (as common examples). These important lists are u¬¬sed for organizing and reporting, or keeping track of someone or something. Even the fairytale Santa Clause is said to have kept records: one list of those who are naughty, and another for those who are nice. Records are important in Heaven too.

Heaven has its own records: better known as the Book of Life and the Books of Remembrance. I prefer to call them Heaven’s Register and Heaven’s Journals. Jesus, in speaking to the seventy missionaries, alluded to one of them when He said, “rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

The missionaries were very happy with the successes they had on their mission trips. Earlier, they were empowered and sent out in groups of twos to heal the sick and proclaim that the Kingdom of God had come near to the people. The response of the people was tremendous; hence the rejoicing from the seventy that “even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” (Luke 10:17) Jesus’ response brought even more joy to His co-laborers. Their names were in Heaven’s Register.

According to John the Revelator, this piece of information was welcomed joyfully because those whose names were written on Heaven’s Register would have right to the Tree of Life. They were already earmarked for Heaven. So the seventy missionaries were overjoyed, yet humbled by this assurance from their Master. The Apostle Paul alluded to the fact that being co-laborers with Christ truly has its rewards as your names are listed in Heaven’s Register. Daniel, the prophet, was also assured that Michael will stand up for those whose names are written in the Book of Life – Heaven’s Register.

The prerequisite for our names to be written in Heaven’s Register is to accept Christ and His atoning sacrifice on our behalf. “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” For our names to be maintained in this Register we must live for Jesus Christ. When we believe and are baptized, when we confess and live for Him -- Paul also assures us that we will be saved.

However, our names can be erased from this important Register – the Book of Life. Moses once asked God to blot his name out of the Book of Life if God wasn’t able to forgive the Israelites sin (Exodus 32:32). God replied and said, “Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.” (Exodus 32:33) When we become careless in our Christian walk, and live a life contrary to the principles laid down by Jesus Christ, we run the risk of our names being erased from Heaven’s Register – the Book of Life.

Mary A. Kidder must have been contemplating her destiny when she wrote the song: “Lord I Care Not For Riches”. She seemed preoccupied with this one question, “Is My Name Written There?” How many names, that were once listed in Heaven’s Register, are no longer there? Is your name written there? Is mine? There is no excuse for sin. Let us make sure, before we die, that our names are written in the Book of Life – Heaven’s Register.

Oh my Father in Heaven, thank You for the opportunity to be co-laborers with You. Please help me that I will not be a castaway after I’ve encouraged others. Help me Father that I will not do anything that will result in my name being erased from Your Register – the Book of Life. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

Copyrighted by Juliet Constantine 2014 (for “Alone With God – Finding Jesus In The Scriptures” Daily Devotional)