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God Knows Our Name
Revelation 2:17 “…I will
give him a…new name …known only to him who receives
it.”
Why are there long lists of names in the Bible?
Why did your parents give you a name? Why is God going to give us a
new name? Does your name fit? God makes sure your name fits.
He makes sure your name fits the person you’re called to be. Your
name is not the person you are now – but who God’s called you to be.
Remember Abraham…Sarah…Jacob…Peter…Paul … and now you. But why would
God take the time to change someone’s name? They’ve lived with this
name all their life? God changed Jacob’s name to Israel.
Jacob = supplanter (deceiver).
Israel = wrestles with God
(determined to get God’s blessing
– face to face with God).
“God
makes sure your name fits the person you are called to be.”
God has a new name for you. Revelation 2:17 “…I will give him
a…new name …known only to him who receives it.”
Even Jesus gets a new name – Revelation 19:12 “…He has a name
written on him that no one knows but he himself.”
Why? God knows our name because He loves us and cares for us
and knows us individually as a person – our ups and downs – our
deepest inner struggles as well as our triumphs – and continues
to call us to come up higher and sit in His lap.
Even God has a specific name that He wants to be known by.
Exodus 3:15 “…This is my name forever, the name by which I am
to be remembered from generation to generation.” “I am who I am.”
He not only loves us and knows us individually – but God cares
about us as a group – a collective unit – a body. Our name shows
our association. Peter = associated with a rock. John and James
= associated with “sons of thunder.” Abraham = associated with
lots of kids and grandkids.
"What’s in a name?" Shakespeare asked the question, “Would
a rose by any other name still smell as sweet?” What about it?
If a child is told they’re stupid and will never amount to anything
long enough – guess what they’ll begin to live up to that vision –
that name they’ve been given. Why do you think we give nicknames to
our friends? Because of an association – they’re short, or tall,
or skinny (or not), or clumsy, or it’s a play on their regular name
or they did something that merited that nickname – God does the
same only better…
Revelation 20:15 “If anyone’s name was not found in the book
of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
Just think about it – God knows you. No really think about that
– God knows you – He loves what He sees – He chooses to know your
name – He chooses to know how many hairs are on your head – He chooses
relationship with you – a relationship so intense, so personal, so
intimate that He has a name for you alone – one that only you and He
will know. You are His and His alone. You are His beloved.
Additional scriptures:
Matthew 10:30 “Even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”
John 10:3 “…He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.”
Proverbs 22:1 “A good name is more desirable than great riches…”
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