Our New Names

I love it when something God taught me months before gets brought back and built on right when it's most needed.

The message at church today was about the labels and names that people peg on us, or that we peg on ourselves, and we spend our whole lives believing those names are true, which affects our entire life.  But these names are lies.  As Aaron said this morning, "Satan can't do anything to you except feed you lies."  The sad thing is, we believe them and we live them.

How wonderful to know that we have been given new names, and each of us has a name that is our own, that is completely unique.  Almost a year ago, God told me my two new names, and only now am I just barely beginning to see myself growing into them.  It's such an amazing gift to be given this, although I am so undeserving of it.  And my names are the complete opposite of what I feel is true.

Back last April, God first started bringing this to mind.  I had been reading in a book about the verse in Revelation that says, "I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it." (Rev. 2:17b)  Soon after that, a pastor spoke at a homeschool event I went to, and he talked about the new names that God gives us, and told us that three questions mattered most, one of which was, "What do You call me?"  I was amazed.

I spent some time later on praying and asking God this question.  I heard two names, "Bright One", and "Warrior".  In a way, I didn't feel much connection to them at the time.  But in this season of my life, after this sermon, I realize that these names are the exact mirror of what I think about myself.  Most of the time I don't feel like the Bright One, an inspiration to others or a reflection of God's glory.  I feel like the Forgotten One, alone, unnoticed, not worth the time it would take to consider me at all.  How could someone like that be anywhere close to a great inspiration?

Likewise, I don't often feel like the Warrior, the one who fights for others, who stands up against what is wrong and doesn't give up.  I feel like the Weakling, the one who'd rather be passive than cause a fight by standing firm, the one who would rather not deal with anyone else's problems, the one who doesn't even have enough discipline to finish a day's work, let alone accomplish anything great.  How could a Weakling be a Warrior?

But...something's changing.  In my growing interest in music, I'm starting to realize that I really could be the Bright One, showing the glory of the Father by devoting the music I make to him, even if it's not all worship music.  In fact, I would rather it not be exclusively worship music, so that I might reach beyond the borders of Christianity and into the rest of it.  But in this is where I most need the Lord's help, because I might instead attempt to be the source of light myself, a dangerous step down a path of pride.  Thank God for the grace to grow into this slowly enough for my heart to remain in him.

And I feel more open, more caring, at times.  Not always.  In the power of Jesus, I can and sometimes am a Warrior for others, although it doesn't happen often.  Again, I am growing slowly into this, which is a good thing.  We should not try to take our new names on all at once when we have lived so long under the lies, or we'll either be overwhelmed and give in to disappointment, or we'll succeed and fall into pride.  It is a process.  You can't shoot a gun until you know how to hold it, how not to hold it.  You can't play an instrument without time and practice, and trying to perform at a concert a week after you first picked up a violin is only going to bring more pain on you.  These things take time.

But praise the Lord that Jesus's work has given us this incredible gift, this amazing grace of a new identity.  And this God, this Father who will never give up, he proves time and again that he truly does have a plan.  Now and then we can see the connections that are interwoven throughout every moment of our lives, but for the most part remain unnoticed.  But now and then, we see glimpses of the steps, the stages, the process.  And it's beautiful.  It will be a sheer joy to look on our whole lives from the perspective of one beyond time, and see how every single moment was in its proper place, leading up to everything else.  God will be glorified above all else.

So here's to new names, to events that will work out for the best, for the one who died for our new identities.  And here's to all the disappointments and failures, the grief and anger, the confusions and frustrations, for they are the stones that make up the path that leads to ultimate Joy.

The destination is worth the rocky roads.  Just wait and see.