The God Who Changes Our Name

 No one can underestimate the power of a name. Though a name is a simply a word, it is a word that carries with it so much meaning. Recently, I read a Fox news article about girls in India who are lining up to change the birth names they have been given.  They are doing this to esteem and redeem their own value from someone who has cursed them in life with a name that means ‘unwanted’.  You can read the article here:

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/10/22/hundreds-indian-girls-named-unwanted-choose-new-names/

It is amazing to think of the believer’s experience in Christ.  For, God has wanted us in Christ before we ever wanted him. And, in loving us before we loved him, he has changed our name.  In fact, it is his love made effectual by his eternal grace and sovereignty that has made us ‘wanted’ by God.  So then, in essence, the experience of every believer is that of a name change. A believer goes from a sinner to a saint; an enemy of God to a friend of God; a hater of God to a lover of God. It is God who changes our name!  We cannot change it ourselves, but we must draw near to him who changes our name and our nature into one that represents our Father God.

I will change your name
You shall no longer be called
Wounded, outcast
Lonely or afraid

I will change your name
Your new name shall be
“Confidence, joyfulness
Overcoming one,
Faithfulness, friend of God,
One who seeks my face”

(DJ Butler, copyright 1987, Mercy Publishing)

Isaiah 62:2  ..and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will give.