Everything has a name: stars, planets, businesses, streets, emotions, foods, diseases, pets, colors, people, etc. Names identify the essence of everyone, everything, everywhere. It’s all in the name, so names are important, wouldn’t you agree?
Once I searched online for a small drop-leaf, dinette table and two chairs. I found exactly what I was looking. The ad listed the name to contact as my wife’s place. As I punched in the numbers, I wondered if perhaps I was intruding in a nasty divorce situation where the husband was selling all the household goods which were stashed over at his wife’s place. Unbeknownst to her, of course. My imagination ran rampant. I hung up immediately.
After several hours, however, my ardor for this particular table and chair set got the best of me. I called. A pleasant voice answered, “”My Wife’s Place.”
To My Chagrin ~
I asked the person who or what it was that I was calling. I learned that My Wife’s Place was actually a furniture store, and that “The table set had been sold!”
Another incident happened when my neighbor had just gotten a new dog and was taking him out for a walk. “O, what a beautiful dog,”
I said, stooping down to pet him. “What’s his name?”
“Ask him,” the neighbor replied.
I simply raised my eyebrows and said, “I’ll ask him later.” She shrugged and turned to walk away tugging the leash. “C’mon, Ask Him. Let’s go.” “You mean your dog’s name is Ask Him?” I said, amazed. “Yeah, just Ask Him,” she called over her shoulder.
One summer weekend, my husband and I went camping with several other couples. We set up tents along the grassy shore of an island-dotted lake. “Would ya look at that sunset!” my husband exclaimed, as we sat around an early evening campfire. “It is breathtaking,” I agreed. “By the way, what’s the name of the lake?” “I’m not sure, but I think it’s “Full O Fish,” he said, staring at the sinking sun. “That’s a plus,” I mumbled. “Do you know the name of the lake?” I persisted. “Not sure. I think it’s Full O Fish,” He said, with a side glance at me. “Never mind. I’ll look it up on the map,.” “Look what up on the map?” He asked, as though I was not paying attention to our conversation. “The name of the lake!” “I told you, I think it’s Full O Fish.” Suddenly it dawned on me. “Got it. Lake Full O Fish?” “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you.”
Names convey our first impressions – sometimes they evoke a negative reflex; other times, an immediate acceptance.
His exalted name ~
When God bestowed a Name that is above every name on His Beloved Son – a name so magnificent that it will strike such awe when said, it would cause every knee to bow – those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess, “Jesus Christ is Lord.” And there is no other Name under heaven given among whereby we must be saved.
It’s all in the Name.