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What does your name mean? Ever give any thought to the spiritual implications of your name? God has! You weren’t given the name you have by accident. God is part of every detail of your life. Why wouldn’t He be part of something as profound as our name?
For those of who are parents, naming our kids was a big deal. I can remember with both of our children, struggling over what their name should be. I have to be honest, I don’t think we put a whole lot of spiritual thought into the naming our kids. It is my believe, however, that the names we gave them are exactly what God wanted them to have. The same goes for you and for me.
Our names have meaning way beyond what we might be able to look up on the Internet. God sees a meeting to our name that goes beyond what any person might be able to turn up. Meaning has implications far beyond the life that we live right now. I may be over spiritualizing this point, but bear with me just a second. I believe that our names have kingdom size consequences. I believe our names speak into who God sees us to be. Though we may not be able to fully understand the depth and breath of what our names mean right at this moment, I believe our names have significant meaning.
As you read the Bible you will see many instances where God changes the name of the those He interacted with. Abram became Abraham. Simon became Peter. Saul became Paul. God often chose a name or changed a name in order to depict what he was doing through their lives. In every case, what God was demonstrating was the fact that we are a reflection of him in everything we do - right down to the very descriptor of who we are. The same goes for this day and age is well. Everything we do, all that we are, even the name that is on our birth certificate has a meaning as far as God is concerned.
I hope that gives you a sense of confidence like never before. You were purpose! Even your name speaks of that purpose. God's hand is on every detail of your life. Nothing is been overlooked. Every breath you take is filled with the promise of God‘s purpose for you in this world.
I know the world has done a really good job of robbing us of the feeling that we will ever be purposed. It is so easy to feel unworthy and without destiny. Circumstances of life can come at us in ways that make it easy to think that we just don’t belong. I hope today that feeling of being disconnected is replaced by the fact that even your very name speaks of connection through purpose and destiny. God has made a way for you! God has spoken into who you are. Your identity is that of a victor. As His child you were purposed and destined to see the hand of God move throuugh your life.
Not only are we purposed and destined in this life. our names have eternal implications as well. Today’s Bible reading is filled with an amazing promise for the future of our identity. Check out today’s reading with me now.
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it. Revelation 2:17 (NIV)
There is a white stone in Heaven waiting for you and for me. That stone has a name engraved on it. We will be the only ones, other than God, that will understand what that name means. When we see that name, I can't help but to believe so much of this life will just make sense. The ups and downs of this life will all be explained by that one word etched on a white stone waiting for us in Heaven. The opportunities that will come from that point on will all be based on the fact that our identity will be so completely spelled out by that name on that white stone.
If that is the case, why aren't we given that name now? Wouldn't life be so much easier to deal with if we completely knew our identity like we will sometime in the future? You bet it would be easier. Maybe that is why God is waiting. This isn't our home. Maybe He is saving the best for last. Maybe the lessons we learn by catching glimpses of our God-given identity here on earth will pay big dividends for all eternity in Heaven. Maybe our need to trust God with our identity is what God needs us to do right now. Whatever the reason God has for us not knowing that name now, I know that reason is a good and right one.
I have a feeling that name on that stone is inside us right at this moment. I can almost see the stone in my hand if I stop and think through identity with God. It isn't that God is keeping us from knowing - it is more that we just aren't ready to know completely what we will know one day in the not too distant future. In the meantime, I think that we just know. I believe Simon always knew that He was Peter. I believe Saul always knew He would become a Paul. I don't think they realized that God Himself would rename them in the way that He did. I don't think that they had any inkling of the ramifications of what their name change would have on their lives and on the world itself.
I do think that they had a feeling things were to be different. Don't you feel that way too? Don't you feel like there is more than what you are part of right now? I believe that feeling is God in us! I believe the BIGNESS of God is straining to get out of us as we experience those feelings of more in our live.
It isn't that we are failing God by that bigness not showing itself as fully as we would like. It is that the time isn't right. If God needed me to know that name on that white stone right here and now, don't you think He would give it to me? In the meantime, I'm to act on what I know about the identity God has given me. I'm to be the best me I can possibly be and let the chips fall where they may in my life.
That's the power of identity when we let who we are drive what we do. The results just don't matter. When we let who God sees us to be lead the way, the world can't help but to be changed by God's influence that flows through us. It is when we get caught up in trying to make happen things that bolster an identity we think we are to have that victim thinking takes over in our lives.
Do all the research you want on what your name means. Dig into how that meaning is being played out in your life. Let God lead you into a more complete understanding of how who He says you are is to impact the world around you. But, don't go too far down that path without God's leading. You don't have the white stone in your hand yet. You won't fully understand the power of your identity until the time set by the Father.
Let you identity as God's Child be enough for you today. Don't strive for more - it is a waste of time. God's timing is perfect. God's plan is good. Be all you were called to be as you let the power of who you are be what makes what you do impact all you come into contact with today.
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