God knows your name

Friday, 06 January 2012 19:29

Sunday 1st January 2011

Isaiah 61.10-62.3

Luke 2.22-40

What belongs to you but is used more by others?

Your name.

Does a person's name affect their character?

Names have always had meanings, or convey meanings, or say something about the parents. Teachers may tell us that certain names are associated with certain characteristics. These names are different in different generations and reflect the culture of the families who choose them - football or pop stars, celebrities. And there is a link between that culture and the attitude of the family to schooling.

We talk of a person’s Christian name but that is no more than convention these days and official forms say ‘first name’ rather than Christian name.

I looked up the meanings of some names:

Noel (french) means Christmas - and was traditionally given to children born at Christmas.

Ella is a diminutive form of Ellen or Helen which was the name of the mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine who adopted Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire.

Grace, obviously, comes from the grace, kindness of God.

Dylan is a welsh name, meaning great flow or tide.

Dominic means ‘of the Lord’ and was a name often given to children born on Sunday

Shane is an anglicised form of the Irish Sean, which is an Irish version of John, which is from the Hebrew word Yochanan meaning Yahweh / God is gracious.

What does the name Jesus mean? It was actually quite a common name and it means ‘God saves’
Jesus naming set him on a course, God had a purpose for him.

Whatever our name God has a purpose for us He would have us use our character which is linked with our name, in his service.

And bearing the name of Christian carries responsibilities.

So God has a purpose for us and a purpose for this coming year.
Timing is important too. Jesus came when the time was right. Perhaps there are things we can do this year that we couldn't before. For God changes us through the years. Gives us new understanding, new abilities. Even our wounds can give us new insight and courage.
So what can we do this year? We who bear the name Christian?
Less than last year? Or more?

Age and physical condition are no barrier to spiritual things - think of Abraham, and of Elizabeth. Nor is youth. Think of David who slew Goliath and Mary who bore Jesus.

All we have to do is offer our selves, our memories, our conditions, to God.

And then at the end of the year ask yourself this question:

‘What has God done in and through me in the bit of the world in which he has put me?.