Names

It seems to me that the choosing of baby names has gone off track. People are choosing names just to be unique and unusual. That name may be cute when they are an infant, but will the child suffer humiliation as they get older and interact with others? It used to be that parents chose names because they meant something and they dreamed that their child would live up to the name. Unfortunately for me, my parents chose a common family name, James. That name comes from Jacob of the Bible and means “one who grabs the heal, or supplants.”

Names can inspire us to do good if chosen wisely. But few names have the power of the name given to Jesus. Philippians 2:9-11 says, “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Jesus Christ was given the name with all the power and authority of God the Father. All things were created by Him, through Him and for Him. All rulers and authorities in heaven and on earth are subject to the power and sovereignty of God. Some day every person will bow before Him and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. We get off the right path and into trouble when we fail to give Jesus the honor that is due to Him as Lord. We must start now choosing to trust Jesus as Lord and Savior or we will suffer the consequences of being forced to do so for eternity.