What's Your Name?
Have you ever looked at a crowd of people? When they are strangers, they all look alike. Maybe one or two have something that stands out, but all in all, they look the same.
Take a look around. This crowd is full of people who are familiar to you. You know them by name. They are your friends.
Have you ever gone to a zoo or a farm and seem sheep? They all look alike. But not to the shepherd. He knows each one. The one with the extra thick wool. The one with the sad eyes. The one that walks slowly. He gives them names, and they respond to that name.
So what's in a name?
Do you know who Cassius Clay is? You might know him as Muhammed Ali?
How about Mark Sinclair Vincent?
Demitria Gene Guynes? (see answers below)
Why do people change their names?
How about Yeshua Ben Yosef? (Trick question....)
But how about in the bible?
Abram becomes Abraham.
Sarai becomes Sarah.
Jacob becomes Israel.
Simon becomes Peter.
Saul becomes Paul.
Name changes accompany a change in status. Names are very important to God. Psalm 147:4 even says he named the stars. And when God names someone, it has meaning to Him, like a parent naming his child. Most peoples names have meanings. When God names someone, their new name gives an indication of their purpose.
When someone names something, they make it their own. A child will name a favorite stuffed animal or doll. Some people name their cars, or their boats, or even their houses. It makes them personal, tells something about them, makes them belong.
Names tell us where we come from. It is common throughout history to use patronymics. In Hebrew -ben Aramaic -bar, -son, Mac, Mc, Mag, -vitch or -ova. Many surnames were originally patronyms.
When God names us, and says he know our name, he means that he is taking possession of us, that we are his. "I know your name." "I knew you before you were made" And in Psalm 139, David replies "I will praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made." Think about those words. Why does one make something "fearfully?" The word in Hebrew means 'reverently.' In other words, God was so careful when he made each of us, each of you. He took time and care and formed each of us, and named us, and made us his own.
And we know God's name. There are many names for him in the bible. Jews will not say the name of God, for they fear it is disrespectful, so there are a host of names for God, the most common being "Adonai" and "Elohim" Like God does for us, we name God by describing something about him; Jehovah-Jirah, Jehovah-Nisseh, Jehova- Shalom, etc...
So what is this relationship? Jesus himself explains it; the shepherd know his sheep, he calls them by name, and they follow him. Think about the relationship a shepherd has with his sheep. The bible talks about how the shepherd reacts when one of his sheep are lost - he leaves the others and goes and seeks him.
You ever see what happens when a child loses a beloved pet? He will scour the neighborhood, put up posters, knock on doors - ignoring everthing else. So it is with God. He knows who we are, we are his, and he will leave no rock unturned. But we need let him in. God can and will do amazing things in your life, but only if you let him. It's not that he cannot force you, of course he can, but he has said that we have free will. He desires that we come to him. Some people challenge free will, saying that if God knows all, then how can we truly have free will? Because if God is a just god, then the fact that there are punishments for failing his commands is proof. A just god would not punish someone for something they had no control over.
God wants us to come freely, because we belong to him. A parent wants his or her children to want to be with him or her. And like a parent, god takes great joy in us, his children.
BTW, Mark Sinclair Vincent is Vin Diesel. Demitria Gene Guynes is Demi Moore.
And Yeshua Ben Yosef? Jesus, son of Joseph.
Take a look around. This crowd is full of people who are familiar to you. You know them by name. They are your friends.
Have you ever gone to a zoo or a farm and seem sheep? They all look alike. But not to the shepherd. He knows each one. The one with the extra thick wool. The one with the sad eyes. The one that walks slowly. He gives them names, and they respond to that name.
Joh 10:2-4 But he who enters in by the door is the shepherd of the
sheep.The doorkeeper opens to him, and the sheep hear his voice, and he
calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.And when he puts forth his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him. For they know his voice.
So what's in a name?
Do you know who Cassius Clay is? You might know him as Muhammed Ali?
How about Mark Sinclair Vincent?
Demitria Gene Guynes? (see answers below)
Why do people change their names?
How about Yeshua Ben Yosef? (Trick question....)
But how about in the bible?
Abram becomes Abraham.
Sarai becomes Sarah.
Jacob becomes Israel.
Simon becomes Peter.
Saul becomes Paul.
Name changes accompany a change in status. Names are very important to God. Psalm 147:4 even says he named the stars. And when God names someone, it has meaning to Him, like a parent naming his child. Most peoples names have meanings. When God names someone, their new name gives an indication of their purpose.
When someone names something, they make it their own. A child will name a favorite stuffed animal or doll. Some people name their cars, or their boats, or even their houses. It makes them personal, tells something about them, makes them belong.
Names tell us where we come from. It is common throughout history to use patronymics. In Hebrew -ben Aramaic -bar, -son, Mac, Mc, Mag, -vitch or -ova. Many surnames were originally patronyms.
When God names us, and says he know our name, he means that he is taking possession of us, that we are his. "I know your name." "I knew you before you were made" And in Psalm 139, David replies "I will praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made." Think about those words. Why does one make something "fearfully?" The word in Hebrew means 'reverently.' In other words, God was so careful when he made each of us, each of you. He took time and care and formed each of us, and named us, and made us his own.
And we know God's name. There are many names for him in the bible. Jews will not say the name of God, for they fear it is disrespectful, so there are a host of names for God, the most common being "Adonai" and "Elohim" Like God does for us, we name God by describing something about him; Jehovah-Jirah, Jehovah-Nisseh, Jehova- Shalom, etc...
So what is this relationship? Jesus himself explains it; the shepherd know his sheep, he calls them by name, and they follow him. Think about the relationship a shepherd has with his sheep. The bible talks about how the shepherd reacts when one of his sheep are lost - he leaves the others and goes and seeks him.
You ever see what happens when a child loses a beloved pet? He will scour the neighborhood, put up posters, knock on doors - ignoring everthing else. So it is with God. He knows who we are, we are his, and he will leave no rock unturned. But we need let him in. God can and will do amazing things in your life, but only if you let him. It's not that he cannot force you, of course he can, but he has said that we have free will. He desires that we come to him. Some people challenge free will, saying that if God knows all, then how can we truly have free will? Because if God is a just god, then the fact that there are punishments for failing his commands is proof. A just god would not punish someone for something they had no control over.
God wants us to come freely, because we belong to him. A parent wants his or her children to want to be with him or her. And like a parent, god takes great joy in us, his children.
Zeph 3:17 The LORD your God in your midst, He
is mighty to save;He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.”
BTW, Mark Sinclair Vincent is Vin Diesel. Demitria Gene Guynes is Demi Moore.
And Yeshua Ben Yosef? Jesus, son of Joseph.
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