Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).
John 20:14-16 (ESV)
What’s in a Name?
I have always liked my name. Amanda. It means “beloved one.”
I think have always been fascinated with the meanings of names. I mean, I got my first baby name book when I was about 10 years old. I loved to look up what names meant. Still do.
In fact, when my husband and I first found out that we were going to have a baby, I immediately started thinking about what we would name him. I say him because I was positive right from the beginning that we would have a boy.
My Son’s Name
After hearing a teaching about Leah’s experience the Old Testament, I fell in love with the name Judah. Leah was the sister not chosen by Jacob. Jacob loved her sister Rachel, but their dad thought his oldest daughter (Leah) should be married first, so he tricked Jacob into marrying Leah (and then also marrying Rachel.
Leah seems to have had what we would call today a massive inferiority complex. I can totally understand this. What a mess of a family!
Every time Leah got pregnant, she would say, “Now maybe my husband will love me!”
But, when she got pregnant with Judah, she said, “I will praise the Lord.” I just loved that idea of whether or not Jacob loved her she was going to praise the Lord.
Judah means “Praise the Lord.”
Michael means “Who is like the Lord?”
Judah Michael is my son’s name. In my mind, it came to mean that no matter what life throws at you, you will still praise God, because there is no one like Him.
My Daughter’s Name
Jasmine Diane means “a sweet fragrance of the divine.” That’s our daughter – God sent us a sweet aroma of joy and love straight from heaven when He sent us Her.
When He calls Your Name?
Names have weight and meaning to me. And as I was reading in John 20, it struck me that Mary did not recognize Jesus until He said her name. As soon as He calls her by her name, she immediately knows Who He is.
The sweetest time we hear our name has to be when our Savior calls it.
Earlier in John…
As we get close to the end of the book of John, I am reminded of several times we have talked about something similar to this:
John 10: My sheep know my voice.
John 18: Those who know His name, trust in Him.
John 15: His intention for us is JOY.
From weeping over what we don’t have to joy in Him.
Sorrow to Praise. Tears to Laughter.
What’s in a name?
Leah’s sorrow turned to praise.
Mary’s tears transformed to laughter.
Are we listening when He calls our names?
Action Step:
What’s in a name? What does your name mean? What does it say about you? If you don’t particularly like your name, what has God said about you in His word? What does He call you?
Prayer:
Dear God, thank You that You know each person’s name. You call us by name and love us more than we imagine. Help us to listen when You speak our names and obey Your voice. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Click Here to View More Devotionals and Bible Art Journaling Tutorials from the Book of John!
