Praise be to His glorious Name forever; may the whole earth be filled with His glory.—Psalm 72:19

When a woman is pregnant, they will spend hours flipping through books of baby names trying to find just the right name for the little one. It is important to mothers that their children have names that not only sound nice but also are rich in meaning.

The Bible gives several examples of how people’s names often describe their character or behavior. For example, during the first part of his life, Jacob lived up to his name of “trickster” by deceiving his brother, Esau, and his father in order to obtain Esau’s birthright. Later in Jacob’s life, after he wrestled with the Lord and finally submitted to him, God changed his name to Israel, meaning “straightened by God.”

Dear God, show me if I have any “Isaacs” in my life. Give me the strength and courage to dethrone things that I have placed before you. You are my Master. I serve you and you alone.

When you choose to follow the Lord and receive his gift of salvation, you’re also given a new name You become a Christian, which means “follower of Christ.” However, you don’t earn the right to bear his name because of your righteousness. Your good works don’t give you the privilege of identifying with the Lord. No, the only reason you carry his glorious name is because of Jesus and what he did for you.

Jesus paid a high price to call you his own. He loved you so much that he was willing to die to give you life. Spend a few moments now thanking God for sending Jesus so that you could be set free from sin. Praise the Lord for his infinite mercy and love!

Prayer for Today

Father God, I praise you! My mind cannot fathom the depths of your love. Thank you for sending Jesus for me so I could be a part of your family and live with you for eternity.

Verses for additional study:

Genesis 25:29 – 34

Genesis 27:1 – 40

Genesis 32:22 – 28

Genesis 35:10

Psalm 113:2 – 3

Ephesians 2:8 – 9

Titus 3:5