Choosing Names

I have been reading the Gospels and last night I was thinking about Simon.

"And he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas" (which, when translated, is Peter)." (John 1:42)

Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." (Matthew 16:17-19)

"You will be called..." Through the Gospels you see Peter being rather, well, unstable. Like the time when he walked on the water, he really wanted to go to Jesus but faltered and thought of the waters that he was walking on, that caused him to sink. Jesus still called him the Rock. Because Jesus would make him the rock, in the end Peter was a rock to the church. Jesus kept His word.

I think if Jesus were here, sitting next to me, He would have a name for me right now. He knows exactly what He is making me to be. He said in His word for what a Christian will become if they persevere. God knows what your life is about, He knows every detail.

He has a name (a plan) for each of us. I found out a while ago that my name means, "Consecrated to God" I thought that was really cool. Because that is how I am trying to live my life, set apart in service to God.

Someday I'll see how God's plan for me worked out, for now I'll just be where I am, fumbling and messing up, but being uplifted again by God's great mercy.

"Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes,
And I shall keep it to the end.
Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law;
Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
Make me walk in the path of Your commandments,
For I delight in it.
Incline my heart to Your testimonies,
And not to covetousness.
Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things,
And revive me in Your way.
Establish Your word to Your servant,
Who is devoted to fearing You.
Turn away my reproach which I dread,
For Your judgments are good.
Behold, I long for Your precepts;
Revive me in Your righteousness." (Psalm 119: 33-40)