What is your name??
What is your name? When someone wants to get to know us they ask the simple question of “what is your name?” Our name identifies us. When someone asks our name they are saying they value us. This question says I do not want to just pass you by and not know who you are – I want to really know you. The question is personal. And then when we offer our name we walk into a relationship with the other person.
This question, “what is your name?” is asked both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament. It is first seen in Genesis 32:27. Jacob has been wrestling with God all night long and is insisting on God blessing him before he lets go of God. This spunky little Jacob, who is seemingly winning the wrestling match with God says in essence no way will I let go until I get some kind of blessing for staying up all night wrestling you. I can see God with a laugh and a wink in His eye asking “what is your name?” Jacob gives his name only then to be renamed “Israel” which means “prince of God. May God reign.” Because Jacob wrestled with God, he is given a name beyond all other names.
And then this question is seen in Mark 5:9 when Jesus asks the demon possessed man what his name is after he casts the demons out of him. Jesus restores him. This man has been wrestling with demons, and yet Jesus wants to know his name and heal him. His name was Legion because he had that many demons within his body. This man lived in a cave – the townsmen tried to chain him down because of his wild behavior but that didn’t work – and night after night he would cut himself with stones. And yet when Jesus heals him and asks him his name, he becomes transformed by God’s grace. Legion wants to go with Jesus, but Jesus tells him to go be a witness of God’s mercy.
God is looking to be our personal God whether we are wrestling with God or with the demons in our life. He still longs to know our name. I am working now as one who gives pastoral care. When I introduced myself to one of my folks I introduced myself as Chaplain Willis. He looked at me with a completely perplexed face and asked, “now why are you going by Chaplain Willis?” Now mind you this is within the first 5 seconds of us meeting. He went further on to assert “you don’t even like the title Chaplain – do you?” I stood there stunned for a minute or two I am sure. And I said simply “if the truth be known, I don’t like the title Chaplain.” He quickly replied “Yep, you like being called Pastor, so pastor it is. So hi Pastor Willis.” I know I must have kept staring at this man because indeed Pastor is my favorite title. How he immediately could see into my mind and heart is beyond me. But it was important from the very beginning that he got my name right. What is your name? How do you want to be identified? Will we allow God to rename us? Will we allow God to transform us? God wants to be our personal God who knows our name – who looks into our innermost being and knows our true name.
This question, “what is your name?” is asked both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament. It is first seen in Genesis 32:27. Jacob has been wrestling with God all night long and is insisting on God blessing him before he lets go of God. This spunky little Jacob, who is seemingly winning the wrestling match with God says in essence no way will I let go until I get some kind of blessing for staying up all night wrestling you. I can see God with a laugh and a wink in His eye asking “what is your name?” Jacob gives his name only then to be renamed “Israel” which means “prince of God. May God reign.” Because Jacob wrestled with God, he is given a name beyond all other names.
And then this question is seen in Mark 5:9 when Jesus asks the demon possessed man what his name is after he casts the demons out of him. Jesus restores him. This man has been wrestling with demons, and yet Jesus wants to know his name and heal him. His name was Legion because he had that many demons within his body. This man lived in a cave – the townsmen tried to chain him down because of his wild behavior but that didn’t work – and night after night he would cut himself with stones. And yet when Jesus heals him and asks him his name, he becomes transformed by God’s grace. Legion wants to go with Jesus, but Jesus tells him to go be a witness of God’s mercy.
God is looking to be our personal God whether we are wrestling with God or with the demons in our life. He still longs to know our name. I am working now as one who gives pastoral care. When I introduced myself to one of my folks I introduced myself as Chaplain Willis. He looked at me with a completely perplexed face and asked, “now why are you going by Chaplain Willis?” Now mind you this is within the first 5 seconds of us meeting. He went further on to assert “you don’t even like the title Chaplain – do you?” I stood there stunned for a minute or two I am sure. And I said simply “if the truth be known, I don’t like the title Chaplain.” He quickly replied “Yep, you like being called Pastor, so pastor it is. So hi Pastor Willis.” I know I must have kept staring at this man because indeed Pastor is my favorite title. How he immediately could see into my mind and heart is beyond me. But it was important from the very beginning that he got my name right. What is your name? How do you want to be identified? Will we allow God to rename us? Will we allow God to transform us? God wants to be our personal God who knows our name – who looks into our innermost being and knows our true name.
posted by williscj | 5:00 AM
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