Devotional #29               

The Power of the Name

As a child, I was so excited when I found a small plastic card with my name on it at the stationary store! “Joseph” it taught me means “May God add!” As a believer, I hope that I add blessings to those around me and that thereby I live up to my name! I think of how the ancients in scripture, moved by the Spirit of God, named their children appropriately to the call that the Lord placed on their lives. Jacob correctly named his offspring, such as Judah (praise) from which Christ came and Joseph who ‘added’ life amidst death, forgiveness for the evil done to him and love, though he was treated with hatred and contempt!  David was God’s “beloved” who was called ‘a man after God’s own heart.’ Samuel was suitably named since ‘God heard’ the prayers of his mother who was at first unable to conceive. Many more could be named, but of course the best of all being, Jesus. Our Lord’s name was given to Mary by the angel Gabriel, since fittingly Jesus came to ‘save’ us all!  

Aware of the importance of a person’s name, my wife and I prayed each time she was pregnant. We did not kowtow to Italian traditional norms of naming our children after our grandparents, parents, or even ourselves. We believed God would make it clear to us what each of our children’s names should be. The names that we most considered for our firstborn were Evan, which means “God is gracious” or David, which means “beloved!” When he was born, we knew that we needed to decide. While she first held him, my wife said to me, “I know what I believe he should be named, but I want to hear it from you!” I smiled and said to her, “His name is David!” She said, “That’s what I thought!” A dear sister in the Lord arrived the next day with a picture frame that had a boy’s name and its meaning on it. Just as I had found that card with my name on it so many years earlier. Before we unwrapped it, she knew our two choices, but did not know the final decision. As we had torn the gift wrap away she jokingly declared, “I hope I got it right!” She did! Our David had received his first gift with his name on it.

In my wife’s second pregnancy we found that we liked several boys’ names, but not having a girl’s name in mind at all we quickly realized that the Lord was showing us we’d have another boy. One night, late in the pregnancy, we sat down to seek God specifically for a name. Although I mainly pray with modern English wording, for some reason I was praying in King James English, as I said, “Dear Lord, please ‘grant’ us a name for this child!” Immediately I knew, “Grant, his name will be Grant!” I declared. Furthermore, on the way to the hospital, when he was born, we stopped at a red light on ‘Grant” Avenue. In the eleven years since that day we’ve seen Grant’s ‘giver’s’ heart and his loving empathetic approach to hurting people. Yes, this name certainly suits him!

Names certainly have significance, and no name more than the name of Jesus. Philippians 2:8-11 says, “…He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Calling on the precious name of Jesus saves, heals, and delivers us. “The Lord is great in Zion, And He is high above all the peoples. Let them praise Your great and awesome name—He is holy.”

See It for Yourself: Philippians 2:8-11, Exodus 20:7, Psalm 99:2-3,

Prayer Focus:

Dear Lord,

You commanded us, saying, “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.” Your name is holy and precious to your people. May we continue to make your name great in the earth until that day that you bring all things under submission to the mighty name of your son, Jesus!

In His great and holy name we pray, 

Amen.

Working It Out: 

Many now disrespect His sweet name -

They attribute it with shame.

We must not use it in vain…

For we who worship this great name, now…

Know that at its sweet sound all shall one day bow!