What is your name?
As Christians when someone asks us who we are , what is your name and what we identify with, we should be able to tell them who we are, not only through word of mouth but through our ways of conduct.
In our daily endeavours, I am almost certain we have all been asked this very common question. Unfortunately, we seldom take a step back to think about the depth of this very question. When someone asks us what our name is, we often respond in an unequivocal manner because our name is something we do not have to think about, it is who we are. A few months ago, a very powerful preacher Pastor C. Wesley Knight posed this question to the congregation. Although at that point in time it was a rhetorical question, it became clear to everyone (myself included) that he was not necessarily referring to our birth names…he was referring to something else. During social interaction, if someone asks me what my name is, it is very easy to proudly respond saying “My name is Precious” but biblically speaking, is this who I really am?
God poses this question to individuals like Legion and Jacob in the bible. In this regard, Mark 5 v 9 reads:
And He (Jesus) asked him (the man), “What is thy name?” And he answered, saying, “My name is Legion: for we are many.
In Genesis, when Jacob wrestled with God, the very question “What is your name?” was posed, and without hesitation he stipulated that his name was Jacob. Obviously God already knew what their names were so why would he ask this seemingly obvious question. As Pastor Wesley Knight vehemently explained “…a name in the bible is synonymous with the aspect of identity”. Identity, so defined refers to the knowledge than an individual has about him/herself. In a sense then…one cannot have an identity if they do not know who they really are. To bring it closer home, one cannot say that he/she identifies with Christians if he/she does not know what Christianity entails. Reverting back to the examples of Legion and Jacob, it would appear that God was in fact, asking Legion and Jacob what it is or whom it is they identify with and not necessarily their actual names. The individuals to whom this question was posed had somewhat lost their way and were running back towards Jesus. In other words, the individuals in question had forgotten who they were IN God but had returned to the Saviour in order to confront the demons they were battling with.
It is very easy to look at Legion and Jacob and think “I am better than that because I think I am well aware that I am a child of God. I know my identity”. This happens to all of us but we forget that worshiping God is not an event, it is a lifestyle. God does not require you to just say you love him; you ought to worship him in all your endeavours. This is what we must all aspire to be so that we can truly have an identity that is reflective of Christ as Christians. 2013 is a year full of promise and good things. As Christians our challenge this year should be to emulate the life of Jesus and to reflect his character in everything we do. Someone once said to me, if you truly love someone you will try by all means to please them. Similarly, as Christians we should be willing and eager to make God happy through the way we live. We will stumble and fall because this Christian journey is anything but easy. Even then, as long as we are WILLING to be WILLING God will recognize and acknowledge that we are Christians who are pressing on the upward way. As the year progresses, lets us try to follow the life of Christ in everything we do. Let us never give up even when the devil discourages us…
As Christians when someone asks us who we are and what we identify with, we should be able to tell them who we are, not only through word of mouth but through our ways of conduct.
If Christ is our friend, let us talk to him and seek him in prayer. Let us present our deepest concerns and desires for he is our redeemer…AND YES OUR REDEEMER LIVES.
Tafadzwa says
This post is absolutely relevant to all. it applies to women, men and even children and not only women. had I not been invited to read it, I would have missed a pot of gold. Keep the faith and never lie to yourself about who you really are. God sees through every veil of deception and every facade. let your works reflect a clean heart.
lovely article!
Anonymous says
amen to that. Stay blessed 🙂
Martha says
Thats a great writting, i had always wondered apart from my child birth given name, who i am as a christian, what God named me as a christian, how he see me in his folk, and with the blessing i have seen God do for me as a child and while growing up, the favours i have seen him do against the odds in my life, i have came to call myself as a christian “ODALA” that is in our local tougue, which means blessed one and highy favoured.
Blessing to all women setapart
From Odala
Blessings
Miriam Tereck says
Blessings to you too ODALA:) Thank you for reading!
Rumbidzai Hasha says
Nice article. The three most important questions one should ask herself are……who am I, where am I going and how do i get there?