Daily devotion – the wonder of salvation in a name!
Choosing a name for a baby these days is still a major decision for the father and mother. Do they go with a family name, a sportsperson, or the most popular name of the time.
In Bible times it was a far more serious matter, that of naming a child. Names actually meant something. Often a child would be named in honour of the event that was happening at the time of his or her birth, or for some unique physical characteristic.
The name of Adam, the first man, meant ‘earth’, because he was taken from the dust of the earth. Isaac and Rebekah named their twin sons Jacob and Esau. Esau’s name meant ‘hairy’ as in a hairy person, because he was hairy. Then Jacob, who was born right after Esau, was hanging onto Esau’s heel. They named him Jacob, which means ‘heal catcher’.
But the name of Jesus was the name above all names. Isaiah, the prophet, gave us some important things not only about the name of the Messiah Who was to come, but also about His character. We find them in Isaiah 9: 6-7.
For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
Jesus’ name tells us of His mission – Matthew 1: 21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.”
22 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”
Jesus came to save us from our sin – this is why Christmas is so wonderful and the name of Jesus so precious to those who have been saved!
Sunday morning, after the close of the message a young eleven-year-old boy came quietly out to see me. He was extremely shy but he was also intent on speaking with me. He spoke with a very hushed voice when I asked him if he would like to be come a Christian now. Softly replying yes and nodding his head, I opened my Bible and share with him two Scriptures – John 3:16 and Romans 10:9-10. I asked him to read both of them out loud and then confirmed with him that God was calling him now to be saved.
I asked Pastor Israel to join with us and lead this young boy in the sinner’s prayer and I prayed along with him.
God filled his young heart with His holy Spirit the Scriptures tell us and we prayed again for God to guide him now and if he had any questions to see us.
Later, I spoke with the young boy’s father who was unaware at what his son had done. What a privilege it was to have this young life, just eleven years old, impacted by the Holy Spirit and enabling him with all his shyness to receive Christ.
God is so good! Jesus is still saving sinners by His grace!