Last week Ann and I found out that we are having a boy! Now we're having fun trying to decide on a name. Suggestions are certainly welcome!
One of the things that Ann and I did with our daughter is we picked her name based on it's meaning. Her name means, "Purity." Currently we are really looking at the name Jace. Jace means: "Healer, God of my Salvation."
In Biblical times, a name was chosen because of it's meaning. A name was a person's identity. It often spoke of a blessing, hope or circumstance that the parent's had or were going through. It often made up the character of an individual.
I love the story of Jacob. Jacob actually means supplanter or deceiver. Throughout much of Jacob's life that is his identity. He often tried to wrestle, one up and deceive in order to get his way. He wanted what others had and would try struggle, manipulate, trick or deceive in order to get his way. Then he would have to run.
Eventually this catches up to him. In Gen. 32 Jacob is left all alone on the other side of the Jabbok River after sending the rest of his family and servants to the other side. His brother seems to be coming for him from one direction (and his brother vowed to kill him). Jacob can't go back the other way because he just left Uncle Laban's place (and he was treading on thin ice with him). He has nowhere to run and even if he could, he's now so weighed down that he would never be able to outrun his brother and the hundreds of men coming for him. Now he is left alone (or so he thinks)...left alone with his thoughts, left alone with God. And so Jacob begins to wrestle again...this time His opponent is God. He and God wrestle all night long and Jacob eventually tells God that he's not going to let go him until he blesses him. Yet God responds, "What is your name?" And for the first time, after wrestling with God, Jacob is faced with the truth. Who am I? What am I about? What's with all of this baggage that I'm carrying from past? And I believe with a reluctant pause and then a huge exhale Jacob responds, "I am....JACOB!" I'm always trying to wrestle with people to take from them, I'm a deceiver" Jacob got real with God. And it was when Jacob got real with God, that He could move forward with blessing Jacob. And as a part of that blessing, God gives him a new name and in essence, a NEW identity. God tells him from this point forward, you will be known as "Israel." As if to say, "Now Jacob, you will be taking hold of the plan that I have for your life and instead of trying to steal the blessings from others, I will make you blessing to others."
What's in a name? Who are you really? What do you think God wants to do in you and through you? What's His identity for you? What plan does He have for you? May you stop running and get real with God. And may you take hold of the plan and identity that He has for you!
To hear more about the story of Jacob check out my message entitled, "Bricks" at www.epicmishawaka.org or
http://www.epicmishawaka.org/archive/default.php?page=&play=yes&post=1&type=mp3
