What’s In a Name

You have been joined together with Christ... You bear His name. Are you ashamed to belong? Are you ashamed to bear that identification with other believers of like precious faith?... Shouldn't you be willing outwardly to identify with the visible, gathered members of that group to which you eternally belong?  John MacArthur

Seeking to perpetuate one's name on earth is like writing on the sand by the seashore; to be perpetual it must be written on eternal shores.  D.L. Moody

When I was in high school there was a guy I would see in the hall on my way to class.  I didn’t know his name but he always would call me by name.  The problem was he called me Judy.  Because I was very shy and I didn’t want to embarrass him, I didn’t know how to communicate with him that my name wasn’t Judy.  So every day in the hall he would say, “Hi Judy” and I would always answer.

 

Over the years I have had this happen over and over again.  When I first met my neighbor he called me Barbara.  Since I was no longer that shy introvert, I was able to communicate to him that my name wasn’t Barbara.  Now instead of calling me by my name he calls me a different name every time he sees me.  One day I am Bernice, the next week I am Clarise and a month later I am Denise. 

I am not sure why this happens to me all the time.  Maybe I don’t look like a Brenda or I don’t have a memorable face or the other person just may have a bad memory.  I started thinking about why names are important.  There were individuals in the Bible whose name was changed by God. 

Abram became Abraham – Genesis 17:5  No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations. 

Sarai became Sarah.  Genesis 17:15-16  Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name.  And I will bless her and also give you a son by her; then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be from her.”

Jacob became Israel.  Genesis 32:28  And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.”

Jesus renamed Simon – Peter.   John 1:42 And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah.  You shall be called Cephas” (which is translated, A Stone).

One day we as believers will be given a new name.  Our name that we have on earth will no longer be the same in heaven.   Revelation 2:17 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”’

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, You gave names to people in the Bible that were different from their birth name.  I am not concerned about my name here on earth.  The only one I am concerned about is the one that will be written in the Lambs book of life. I want to be listed there when this earthly world comes to an end.

Scripture:   And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying:  “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”  Matthew 1:21-23

Revelation 3:5 - He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.