What Is Your Name?

Whatever our name or our title may be, we all have a name given to us by God…

Isaiah 22:1-25

Reference: v.1 A prophecy concerning the Valley of Vision:
What troubles you now,
that you have all gone up on the roofs… (TNIV Bible)

Explore: When placing an order at a local coffee shop, I was greeted with such an unexpected welcome.

The owner of the shop had taken my order and when I gave her my name, her whole face lit up. You see, her name was Linda as well.

She leant across the counter towards me and whispered, “You know our name means ‘beautiful’, don’t you?” I laughed and said that I had heard such a meaning and how could it possibly be wrong when there were two such fine examples as ourselves!!

As I left the shop with my order I had to smile. While I didn’t feel beautiful everyday, just knowing that was the meaning of my name made me feel a little better about myself.

Application: We don’t always live up to the names we are called. Whether it’s the meaning of our actual name or maybe the title we are given at work or at home.

There are some days when I feel like I’ve really conquered the ‘mum’ title, but other days when I feel like I’ve totally failed.

When the “Valley of Vision” is mentioned in Isaiah 22 it seems like they have not lived up to their name. Instead of having the ‘vision’ to focus on God, they have feared their enemies and fled before they were even on the doorstep. Not all of us live up to our names.

Whatever our name or our title may be, we all have a name given to us by God… ‘mine’.

If we truly lived up to this name then I think we would act very differently. If I believed wholeheartedly that I was completely God’s then I would not lack faith, I would have no fear, and I would love more unconditionally.

This is a name that I would like to work harder at believing and living.

Prayer: Lord, You call us Your own but so often we forget or lose faith. May I step forward in my belief and live more boldly knowing that I am Yours. Amen.

How can you live up to the title that God has given you?

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