January 10 – A Rose by Any Other Name Would Be Hard to Find in the Catalog

“As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations.” (Genesis 17:4-5 NKJV)

Someone once said that the main reason children have a middle name is so that they will know when they’re in trouble. Since I use my middle name, I know I’m in trouble whenever my wife uses my first name. When other people use it, I figure they don’t know me. Names are important to people. Parents give their children names for a reason; they have meaning. We should work to make sure that we pronounce names correctly so that people know that they’re important to us. In the Old Testament passage for today, we read where God changed Abram’s name to Abraham. Abram means “High father” while Abraham means “father of multitudes.” He also changed Sarai’s name to Sarah, which means “princess.” Sometimes God gave names to show the character of the person involved; sometimes the names were prophetic and meant to inspire the re-named person to live up to their name. I can say that since I was named after my dad and my grandfather, I never wanted to do anything to hurt that name. In short, our name represents who we are to God and to the world. Your name reminds people of your reputation in this world.

What do people think about when they hear your name in general? How well did you represent your name today? As a Christian, you also bear the name of Christ. Your words and actions reflected on who Jesus is. Did they draw people to Christ or cause them to move away from Him? What would you have done differently today if you had remembered that you were representing the name of Christ?

Oh Lord, as I go through the trials and tribulations of life, remind me that I bear the name and character of Jesus Christ in my life. Let my life honor His name and draw people into a deeper fellowship with You.

About rockyfort

I am a retired Middle School Teacher. I share each day what God is teaching me from reading His word hoping that people can benefit from reading what God has taught me.

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