Promise and Direction

A long time ago in a land faraway from where I write, a peasant boy was born to the family of a construction worker and his wife. His brothers were all named after Jewish rebels, but he had a name that meant “God saves.” It was a name with a promise and a purpose. That’s a good thing to consider about our own names. Does our name provide us with both a promise that will infiltrate our life as well as give it direction? Is it a statement on which we can rely and a word of guidance? If there was ever a moment when the boys of his family were interrogated by some Roman soldier or officer, they would immediately recognize the rebel connection. These were rebels who fought against Rome. What was this family saying by the naming of their children? And then this one, the eldest one, whose name meant that they looked toward God to bring salvation… what was being said? It was a statement being put right into the face of Rome. It wasn’t shy. It wasn’t hidden. They expected something and they may be working toward something. If any Roman was to discover the names within this family, he would have kept his eye on them. This peasant child grew into a man who was ridiculed, insulted and sarcastically dismissed by his brothers… at first. He also grew into his name. A name that fulfilled both the promise and the direction, and his direction became worth following, and others did. And the discovery that followed this was within the promise which was to be shared by all. I’m looking forward to Christmas… its promise and its direction… and the coming of Jesus who fulfills it all. Blessings, Geoff