Changing Names

Revelation 2:17

New King James Version (NKJV)

 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”’

In 1997 I changed my name for a lot of wrong reasons. From as far back as I could remember I wanted my name to be different, I didn't want to be a "Rowland" because I some how associated that name with not measuring up or fitting in. I thought that if I had a different name that I would be a different person. 

One of the main reasons that I got married the first time was so that I could have a different name. The name was supposed to change everything. I would be accepted, I would be taken care of, I would live happily ever after...or so I thought. 

The reality is that it really has nothing to do with your name, but everything to do with how you find your worth and value. If we let Jesus tell us who we are rather than insecurity, hopelessness, and other outside influences then the name that people refer to us by does not matter. We gain confidence, stability, and assurance through Jesus, and aren't just riding the coat tails of whatever our family name supposedly stands for. 

Jesus came to give us identity in Him that says we are good enough, we are loved, and we are valuable. Our worth is established in Him. 

So, in a little less than two weeks I am changing my name again, only this time it's not because I am trying to escape a broken past. I know who I am now, "my name is child of the one true King" (Matthew West Hello My Name Is). Because I know who I am now in Christ, I am confident of changing my name for the man I love. It is not about a name but about moving forward into the blessing that God has so graciously given to me. It's about joining with a person who also knows that he is a "child of the one true King". 

I am so excited about my new name, but even more so because Jesus prepared me for this journey by telling me who I really am. 

What is your name?