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Over the years I have had a lot of nicknames.

The first, and probably most obvious one was “Nat” – but to this day, it’s also my least favorite.

Over the years I’ve been called “Cubby.” “monkey,” “Natalobster” and a whole host of other animal-related names.

The cool thing about nicknames is that they not only identify us, but they show a level of intimacy beyond our given name. After all, when our parents named us they didn’t really know anything about our character, or our personality. Nicknames come later – as people began to understand who we are, what we’re about, and how we interact in this world.

Recently, I learned that James the Apostle also had an animal-related nickname. His nickname was “Camel Knees.” However, the reason for this wasn’t because he was born with knotty knees, or because he was wobbling upon standing up. Instead, James earned this nickname because of the countless hours he spent on his knees in prayer. As he did so, his knees became calloused and swollen. His devotion to God not only led to a spiritual change, but he was physically altered as well!

Which should get us thinking, what do we want our nicknames to be? Do we want people to remember us for our sports prowess, our humor, or our beauty? Or do we want people to so identify us with a pure and committed to devotion to God that even what they call us demonstrates that heart?

Nicknames are a fun way to relate what’s special about an individual. Each one has a story and is symbolic of what is important. May increasingly people see what’s special about us is our commitment to Christ, and may the names they give us signify our love for Him.

I drive a long way to work (Full disclosure – I love my job and I love where I live so this isn’t a complaint, just a statement of fact.) And as can be seen from previous posts, God often uses these moments on the road to teach me lessons that I may otherwise not hear in the busyness of the day. In fact, if I were to recount almost all (but not every) major decision I’ve made in adulthood, at some point in the story you’ll probably hear me say “and as I was driving….” Perhaps this is weird, but like most people, my life is busy. When I’m on the road, the distractions are minimal, and I spend sweet moments with my Lord.

Because I drive against traffic, I often have the opportunity to use cruise control. To whomever invented that neat little feature, I owe a huge debt of gratitude.  It provides such freedom, such liberation for those who are on the road for long periods of time. When I’m driving on cruise control, I’m not as worried about what’s going on around me, because I know my car will continue to move forward. It allows me to relax, to not take the drive quite as seriously as I otherwise would. It affords me the opportunity to, in the immortal words of some teenager, just chill.

However, there are some occasions when I don’t dare hit that cruise control button. If there’s construction (which is a common occurrence on Southern California freeways) my foot remains firmly on the gas, ready to press the brake. If there’s an accident or a car driving erratically, I stay poised ready to make a move. In short, when there’s any kind of danger, putting the car in cruise control is the last thought on my mind.

This is why the Christian life doesn’t come with the cruise control option. God’s Word tells us that we don’t have to wonder if there’s the possibility of trouble, we’re guaranteed it. In fact, Scripture tells us that Satan is on the prowl, looking to make us stumble. Therefore we have to be constantly vigilant, constantly active, in order to thwart these attempts. Our opportunity to chill remains for the enjoyment of Heaven. When there’s no danger, that’s where we finally get to rest.

Cruise control is great,  when it comes to the car. But for the Christian, in this life, the only option is press the pedal and drive hard until we reach the end.