Have you
ever wondered why you’re parents named you what they did? Do you ever wonder if
they had help or think about what name God called us by before we were born?
“The word of
the LORD came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were
born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the
nations” (Jeremiah 1:4-5).
Crazy to think about isn’t it, but it’s a fact that
God knew us before anyone else on this earth did, and yet we parade around most
days as if He doesn’t exist.
In May I found myself in the jungle of Thailand,
praying and calling out to God and He responded like He always does but one
thing stood out to me. This particular thing stood out at this point because I
went into this month in search of my identity in Christ. Going into this month
I had heard things others saw in me, some knew me and others were complete
strangers. They would say things like “You are a warrior, you have the heart of
a lion, and you’re a rock” and many more similar things. I would hear these
things over and over and over again as this year pressed on but what was
holding me back is I did not know what these things looked like, lived out
practically. Until God spoke a very simple thing to me… my name… Michael.
At first I didn’t think much of it because God has
always called me Michael when He speaks to me, yet this time it meant something
different. I said, “God you call me Michael, not Mike or Mikey or any other
variation, can I ask why? He said because your name in Hebrew means, “Who is
like God?” which is a rhetorical question, implying that no person is like God.
I then began to flip through my Bible and conveniently landed on the scripture
in Jude 1:9 when Michael the archangel is fighting over the body of Moses. (like you do). If you don’t know anything about Michael
he was one of the seven archangels in Hebrew tradition and the only one
identified as an archangel in the Bible. In the Book of Revelation in the New Testament
he is portrayed as the leader of heaven’s armies.
of heavens army here on earth. Now that may sound silly to some but to me in
that moment things became very real. A memory came to mind from when I was
younger, maybe around age 8 or so and my Dad and I were talking in the
bathroom, as he was getting ready for work. He always wore this necklace with Michael
the Archangel and he would tell me He was God’s chief angel and he helped cast
Satan out of heaven. I always marveled at this story.
my team leaders Michelle gives me a letter. Keep in mind she could of written
anything in this letter because I only told a few people about my encounter
with God in Thailand and what He calls me and why. So as I read on, about half way
down the page she begins to go into the meaning behind my name and she writes Michael and compares
many of my qualities about who I am to her and others on my squad to Michael the archangel: Protector,
Warrior, Strong, Brave, Bold, Fighting for what is right in the sight of God. I
couldn’t believe it, God again confirmed through this unassuming letter more
about my identity and my name.
be known as Michael, not Mike, Mikey or any other variation but simply…
Michael. Not that anything is wrong with Mike or Mikey but those names don’t
describe who I am, maybe more who I was they were shortened or altered versions
of my real God given name…Michael. Part of this year for me is discovering more
my identity in Christ and who I’m called to be as a Christ follower.
first started to follow Christ they were given completely different names.
Biblical scholars believe this was done for many reasons but one major reason
was to signify a change had taken place, because when you really decide to
follow Christ your life is never really the same is it. It’s too bad that in
today’s age we don’t continue this tradition, but in some ways I am glad
because I like the name Michael it has started to become the new name of my new found
identity in Christ and yet this is what God has called me all along…
