I love names.  I love the study of their meaning.  I love hearing new and different ones and trying to figure out where they came from.  I love seeing how a person fits his name.  I have this quirky little belief about names--I think they are sovereignly given by God.  I have learned a principle in studying scripture that when someone is named, the person giving the name is asserting their authority, and in many cases their ownership over the one being named.  I love that idea.  Because of this little abiblical belief (abiblical means not in scripture; it does not mean against scripture), I love returning to our family names to ponder how God is weaving into each of our lives the charactristics communicated by this name He has given each of us.  Here's what I saw tonight:

My oldest son means "God is our salvation" and his middle name means "light."  I have prayed since before he was born that he would be a light testifying of God's salvation.  Right now I see God trying to ignite a light in him as he grows in his understanding of God's salvation.  He is bold, a leader, outspoken, and very knowledgeable.  As God teaches him humility and servant-leadership, he will be an awesome leader.

My middle son's names mean "crowned one" and "twin."  One of the things I have learned in researching names was that each name comes with a literal meaning (what the words the name was derived from actually meant), and an implied character meaning.  The character meaning of his middle name is "seeker of truth."  I like this, because it very much describes him.   He is very tender to God's word and will read it for pleasure.  Because of this he is often crowned with with blessings.  I have prayed for years that this child will be crowned with godly qualities.  I like the idea of "twin" also, because I long for him to understand that in Christ he is a new creation.  The old "him" has passed away, and the new--his twin--has come.

My youngest son has been aptly named since the beginning of his life.  His name means "manly" and "the supplanter."  Interestingly the character quality of his middle name is also "seeker of truth." (Nope, didn't plan that. It just happened, and I don't recall noticing that before.)  "The supplanter" who originally possessed this name was Jacob, who deceptively stole his brother's blessing and birthright.  It literally means to take by force and treachery.  I laughed upon first glance of this name tonight, since my youngest is definitely all-boy (or all-man!), and constantly hatching forceful treachery to aquire his brothers' possessions, rights, honor, etc.  But there is another implied meaning to "supplanter" that is interesting to me.  It also means one who takes the place of and serves as the substitute for especially by reason of superior excellence or power.  I love the idea of praying that my youngest will learn to be an excellent, manly man, and that by learning to be that, he will take the place of and substitute for other men in God's kingdom work.  Like Jacob, I long to see him broken by God so that God's glory and greatness might be displayed through him.  Remind me I said this as God works the breaking process, would you?

Not to be left out, I have been delighted with the way God unfolds His purpose in my name.  My names mean "consecrated one" and "graceful."  I used to think HA!  Graceful?  Me?  God's sense of humor was working overtime that day!  (I am so clutzy it's not funny.  Grace?  I have none.)  Until I was reminded that there is another kind of grace.  It is the kind of grace God showed me.  The kind that covers over a multitude of sins with love.  The kind that forgives even its enemies.  The kind that layes down its life for others.  Consecrated means set apart for service, and I believe I am set apart for the service of showing God's grace to others.  It has been an exciting thing to see God weaving this into the fabric of my life and character.  Not that I don't still have a LONG way to go, I do.  But so many times when I feel like killing my ex-husband, God gives me a way to bless him instead and I DO IT!!! (NOT my own strenght, I assure you.)  I am constantly awed by the number and variety of women God draws to me to share with, encourage, teach, and just love and serve.  Grace. It is to the point now that I LOOK for the ways God wants me to show His grace.

So there you have it.  A little excursion into the goofy things I think about.  OK, not so goofy, since names are important to God.  How do I know?  In Revelations it says,"He [Christ] has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:  King of Kings, and Lord of Lords."  (Rev 19:12-16)  And ya wanna hear the really cool thing?  It also says,"They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads."   (Rev 22:4)  Guess I'll know then how close my theory comes to being true.