VERSE FOR TODAY: His mother answered and said... he shall be called John... his father... wrote, saying, His Name is John (Luke 1:60, 62, 63).
HYMN FOR TODAY: " All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name"
What a colorful assortment of first names are popular today! Recently I glanced through a listing of high school graduates and was amused and dismayed by the variety of wild spellings; names that looked more like haphazard combinations of letters or placed or simply sounds, than real names.
Names and the meanings of names are very important to God. We know Jesus by His names. In my office I have an immense wall hanging that list just 34 if the names for Jesus (Prince of Peace, Counselor, Messiah, Savior), each descriptive of His character, Many of His names were first mentioned in the Old Testament, in prophecies about the coming Messiah. Jesus' Name was specially chosen by the angel because Jesus means, " He will save His people from their sins."
The Jewish custom was that the child should be named after a member of the family. But when Elizabeth's baby was born, she insisted the child be called "John." as did Zacharias, the baby's father. This baby was chosen by God to be forerunner to the Messiah, ordained to prepare the hearts of the people for the good news of the kingdom. The name "John" had prophetic promise. It means, "The Lord is gracious."
PRAYER THOUGHTS: Heavenly Father, we praise You for Your grace and loving kindness to us by sending a Savior, Emmanuel---"God is with us!"' Teach us to follow the teaching of our Savior, and when we speak of the Messiah, May those hearing see Him in us. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
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