What's in a Name?

EBENEZER

What comes to your mind when you read this name? This was the title of my morning devotion. When I read this title the first thing that came to mind was Ebenezer Scrooge from a particular Christmas movie – he was a grouchy old man who did not like Christmas. When I finally got to the body, the context of the devotion I realized that the writer was writing about something similar to what I had experienced at the sight of the name EBENEZER (funny how the Holy Spirit works). In further reading I learned that Ebenezer actually means “Stone of Help” (1 Samuel 7:12) – to read the full devotion click here.

How interesting that in my mind this name immediately triggered these thoughts. Similar to a search in Google, you type a word and the computer retrieves what has been imputed to associate with this word. Throughout life our brain has been storing information associated with certain names.

Anyhow, names…what’s in a name? Names carry so much with them. For example, what do you think about when you read the following names: Jesus, Lincoln, Gandhi, Luther, OJ, Oprah, Starbucks, etc.? Try thinking of a name – what thoughts come up?

Throughout God’s Word we read how names carried so much meaning, so much purpose. For example, God changed Jacob’s name to Israel (Genesis 32:27-28); Sarai to Sarah (Genesis 17:15); Saul who was later called Paul (Acts 13:9); Simon Peter (Matthew 4:18). What about the twelve tribes of Israel? Their respective mother’s named them according to what was going on in their lives when each child was born.

We have a tendency to pick names that carry some kind of meaning or we name our kids after someone special to us. We normally don’t pick names of something or someone that triggers bad thoughts in our minds. In fact, it’s been said, “Who would name their child Judas?” Why? because when we hear that name our minds think of the one who betrayed Our LORD.

We also read that at the name of JESSU every knee will bow (Philippians 2:10) and that the names of those who believe in Jesus as their Savior are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life (Revelation 13:8, 21:27). The Bible also talks about a “new name” (Revelation 2:17, 3:12). There is a lot to be said about “NAMES”…

So what is in a name?

JESUS - the name that brings healing…
JESUS - the name that gives life…
JESUS - the name that is above all names…

What does my name trigger?
What does my name bring up?

And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins. Matthew 1:21