Names. I’ve been thinking bout them a lot the past few days and I can’t help but think of their meaning of them and their ever-existing significance.
We let people define us by names, or rather labels— some horrible and some great.
I think thats something we all struggle with. Like I don’t think its just a generational thing… I think its an eternal thing here on earth for everyone: to be defined by things that other people call us. Some of these names tear us down, some build us up, some leave damaged psyches, some leave us daydreaming.
In fact, we wouldn’t be able to talk about the universe in any sense if we didn’t have names for things. At least thats what it said in a podcast I listened to today (by the Liturgists) all about names. It talked about how everything in the universe has a name, and we wouldn’t really know anything if it weren’t for its name. It also talked about how the more we know about something, the more we can name the different parts of it, the closer we are to it. This was mainly for talking about humans but lets use an analogy of a car. When I first see a car, it’s just a car. The more I learn about the engine and the battery and all the other things (that I genuinely know nothing about), the more I know the car and can tell you more about the names of the different parts.
Another thing the podcast said, which I also remember learning in the life skills class we sat in on in South Africa, was that in the Garden of Eden, Adam was commanded to give everything on the earth a name. What an important job; I mean to give everything on the whole earth a name that would be used forever is pretty serious. It was one of his only commandments to do in the Garden as well.
So my name: “Carsen”. It actually means “son of the marshes” but I don’t think thats where I find my identity. I think I used to find more of the identity when people called my name “cool” or “unique” or “interesting”.
One thing that has been taking up a lot of my head space and heart space for the past few weeks is new names. Not like legally changing my name to something different, but what other people call me or what I call myself. When I listen to what the world has to call me or has persuaded me into calling myself, they aren’t good. Actually I think they are names that no one should be called and belittle us into thinking we are something we’re not.
But I’ve been listening to the names that the still, quiet Spirit inside of me says. It calls me lots of things: “royal”, “perfect”, “holy”, “saint”. These things I’m being called are never things I would call myself, but their new! And freeing! And the type of things that make my heart sing “hallelujah”.
I mean the God of the stars and the flowers and the ocean is the same God that places a crown of gold on my head and calls me royalty.
Being a new creation in the Cross doesn’t mean conforming to old names or what the world has to call you. Being a new creation in Christ means doing away with the old rags that were once on your body and now confidently and joyfully wearing the purely white robe that Jesus cloaks you with. And with that robe on, you can’t be called anything but perfect and holy.
How different life seems to be when we believe the true names about ourselves! Each breath seems to be changed 180 when we start living out our identities that are Truth and Light. I mean walking around believing we are saints vs. believing we are losers makes the biggest difference, and it starts with being named something new.
I’m thankful for Jesus who calls me new things because of the cross + the Holy Spirit for whispering these things to me, especially when I need to hear it most + for community that confirms these things in me and gives me grace when I don’t walk in these things all the time
Here’s to hopefully a long life life of believing and living in true identity, for me and all of you.
