What's in a name?

Hello!

It is the start of Advent season.  Well, actually, it started already I just haven't moved past the first day.  I was reading Matthew 1 and kinda got stuck in all the names.  Some of you don't know that played a Bible quiz game (called Bible Bowl) from 7th-12th grade.  I enjoyed it and learned a lot of the Bible.  I really liked the geneologies.  If I memeorized all the names in order and my team was asked about it, it was like getting free points.  I made up funny sentences, songs and rhymes to help me remember the first letters of the names.  It was a challenge and it was fun.

I don't think they include geneologies in the current form of Bible Bowl.  I could be wrong, as I am way out  of the loop.  I think they are missing out on something if they don't.  "Why," you may say.  Well, names are important to the people wearing them.  The fact that they are included in the Bible tells me that they are also important to God.  That gives me hope and a firm faith that my name is also important to him.  He knows my name.  He knows me.  You and I may seem very insignificant to ourselves, but God knows our name.  If we believe in his Son, Jesus, then our names are also written down in His book of life.  He promises to give us eternal life.  He has a new name for us that will describe us to a T.

So, I got stuck in the names.  Some of them seem quite odd to our modern ears.  Ram.  Who is he?  He is the father of Amminadab, the son of Hezron , the grandfather of Nashon.  He is known by God!  Who is Rahab?  We know a little about her, but God knows even more.  Who is Lynn?  Who are you?  We are the children of the living God and He knows our names and He loves us more than we could ever really comprehend.  That's what's in a name!

I pray you have time this Advent to "chew" on Jesus' coming to this world, his second coming and his coming into our hearts daily as we allow him to do so.  Have a blessed season!