“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in the sight of God and man, to witness as we all recommit ourselves to Jesus in this sanctified space.”
What is your job title at work? What is your official designation? In our company, we have junior level and senior level technicians. We have associate project managers, project managers, and operations managers. There are tiers and hierarchies that denote your position in the company. These dictate what your salary is, your purchasing power, your place in the office, your tasks and responsibilities.
“and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.”
Colossians 3:10
Names are important. Identity is important. Especially when we are talking about the identity given to us by Christ. When we received Him in our hearts, we had the privilege of calling him our Father, with all the entitlements that came with it. Power. Glory. Miracles. Good feels.
That’s why we acquired so much power when God allowed us to be one with Him, in this holy relationship. To say things in His Name. To be associated with Him and defined by Him, and to aspire to be Him.
Words are powerful. Bullying and incessant name-calling can lead to suicide, or a serious need for therapy. They inflict invisible wounds that often run the deepest. Conversely, encouragement and affirmation can lift up anyone’s spirit.
What words do you want to be associated with your name, especially as a child of God? Imagine that an angel were to come right now, and say, “Your name will no longer be called ‘___’, but ‘___’.” What would you want the angel to call you?
