What's In a Name?

I was watching a reality singing show one night and there was a young man getting ready to sing. He explained how nervous he was because he had the chance as a high school kid to attend a school for gifted singers. Apparently, he needed three letters of recommendation from his teachers.  He had gotten two and the third told him that he would never amount to anything and that he needed to give up the dream.  Unfortunately, he listened to the third voice, until the day he tried out for the show.  His amazing vocals proved the teachers opinion to be a lie.  This young man had allowed this false name to be his new name. Praise God, he tried it again, but think of all the years he lost writing "Failure" on his hello my name is... name tag.

In the book of Daniel, when Jahoiakim was king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon came to take over. They took all the smart, good looking, quick learners into captivity with them to train to work for the king.   Four of the men that they took were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.  Each name meant something in those times and the meanings for their names were Daniel (God is my judge ), Hananiah (Yah has been gracious ), Mishael (Who is what God is? ) and Azariah (Yah has helped ).  

In verse 7 it says that they gave the men new names with new meanings: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar (meaning Bel will protect ); to Hananiah, Shadrach (meaning Inspired of Aku ); to Mishael, Meshach (meaning Belonging to Aku) ; and to Azariah, Abednego (meaning Servant of Nego).  All of which are names of false gods.

We receive names from anyone who puts a label on us and the hardest ones to shake are usually from those closest to us. What names has the world given you? Who do you see when you look in the mirror?  Clumsy, stupid, ugly, failure, alone? Perhaps you see abused or maybe forgotten?

Isaiah 43:1 says "But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel:  “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine."

In verse 5-7 it says "Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east,  and from the west I will gather you.  I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name,  whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”

You see precious one, God not only named you, He named you after Him! Don't accept those false names that the world has handed over to you, yep even if it came from a parents. Remember, as Romans tells us, we all fall short, so to accept that others know best is putting their thoughts and opinions before God!  And per Gods word, aside from Him, there is no other!

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