Names

A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.

Proverbs 22:1

When I was in middle school and high school I used to get made fun of because of my name. Smart remarks or jabbing insults about it would cause me to resent the name I was given. As I matured in my walk with the Lord and allowed Him to build my confidence regarding my name, I learned to love and appreciate it.

In the Bible, names were more than just what you would call a child, it had significant meaning. Sometimes it made a statement regarding one’s birth, one’s future destiny, or a testament to the God who created them. A name and its meaning could often describe the character of the person.

Moses - in Hebrew sounds like “draw out”, since the Pharaoh's daughter found him and “drew him out of the water” (Exodus 2:10).

Abraham - God would give him this name which means “the father of many nations” (Genesis 17:5).

Names have meaning - my name “Charity” means Christian love, generosity & kindness. I hope that with the help of the Holy Spirit in my life I live up to that meaning.

The most powerful and recognized name in the world is Jesus Christ. “Jesus” means “God Saves” or “Savior” and “Christ” means “anointed one”.

The apostle Paul tells us the significance of Jesus’ name, “Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth” (Philippians 2:9-10).

In Acts 2:21 we are given the assurance in the power of Jesus’s name in that “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Therefore we are then called “children of God” (John 1:12).

Have you trusted in the only name that matters?

Charity O