Its Only Werds...

It would be fun if we had voice posts here. I would record and post the title (only) to this post so you could hear what I hear in my head...ooooo, that's SCARY!! ha ha!

 

But seriously -- My full name, Loreen, was given me by my parents and I am still not completely sure why. The answer I always get, with rancor and arguments, with waving of hands and shaking of heads is that I was named after one of my Daddy's girlfriends, Maureen. Great. But no matter, I still don't know why they named me Loreen. They never called me that, not even when I was in deep trouble. They called me by my abbreviated first name and my middle name (Loree Ellen) for those rare occasions. (I was a good kid.) 

Each of the three times I neared birthing my children, I looked carefully through baby name books, talking to their Daddy and our families. Naming our child was left to us with the exception of the firstborn male (family tradition to carry the father's and grandfather's names...) During those name searches, I think I found my name, or a derivative, but I never do remember what it meant. I suppose I am who I would have been if I knew all along what my name was supposed to mean and why it was given to me.

In the book of Ruth, chapter one, Naomi was devastated by the death of, not only her husband, but her two sons also. I felt a heart-tug at Naomi changing her name:

Ruth 1:19 So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi? 20 And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. 21 I went out full and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?

Naomi had experienced great grief and changed her name to reflect that grief. Recently, I heard a sermon wherein Jacob was mentioned from Genesis 25. Jacob demonstrated his personality from that birth moment forward:

Genesis 25 And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau. 26 And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them.

"Esau" means 'hairy' and Jacob meant 'deceiver'. Wow. Jacob wanted to be first, and I suppose the grabbing of the heel of Esau was to try and stop him mid-birth and pass him by! Yikes! If you follow the story of these brothers, you see Jacob continues in his part-jokester part-deceiver mentality...until he has a God experience. (Read that in Genesis 32). Even their father, Isaac was so named because of the age of his mother at conception. "Isaac" means 'laughter'...and his personality lived out that monicker, as he brought his parents great joy!

There are more people name changes in the bible, and there are constantly names of places being changed because of God-experiences. The sermon I had been listening to went on to ask a compelling question. As we see, names given to biblical characters were (always? not sure, but I think so) given intentionally and meant something specific about the personality or character of the child at birth!

You have, perhaps, heard famous quotes about a man's (or woman's) name or reputation? All those quotes seem to me to be derived from:

Proverbs 22:1 A good name is more desirable than great riches;
       to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.

Isn't that INSPIRING?!?!? Oh, but wait!! Have you ever asked yourself, 'Hmmm, what if I was named after a certain personality or disposition? Deeper still, what if my name was changed because of who I have become? Would we like the new name or what it stood for? You know, sometimes names were changed by God.

Browse the internet or your concordance of bible characters and their names. Fascinating, really, and thought-provoking. I know I've thought this before, but I am reminded and renewed in my conviction that it matters what I do. Even though we are to keep our eyes on Him, not each other, God forbid my actions would cause Him to change my name...especially to something I would be ashamed of! Rather, I want my name to be "Child of God". I put on the new man of Christ-in-me and even from this moment forward, I walk that way renewed.

Wanna hold my hand? We go together, ok?

shared with great love...