Scottish Charity No: SC010199

What's in a name?

Read Exodus Ch 3 verses 1 to 15 and John Ch 14 verses 8 to 14

"Moses said to God, 'Suppose I go to the people of Israel. Suppose I say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Suppose they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?'  God said to Moses, ' I AM WHO I AM. Here is what you must say to the Israelites. Tell them, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” 

Exodus Ch 3 verses 13 & 14 (NIV)

I was asked on two occasions recently - what will we call you? The first was in a school situation where the headmistress wanted to introduce me to the children. I hesitated for a moment, because in school people are usually referred to as Miss X or Mr X. I replied - you choose! No that wasn't good enough, do you want us to call you David or Mr Anderson? David I replied. I felt happy at that. I know in bygone years a minister visiting a school would never have been referred to by his first name, but these are NOT bygone years, times have changed, and I am NOT one of their teachers.

The second time I was asked recently was in a day care situation. Could we call you David? Again, I hesitated. I usually leave people to decide for themselves. Some older people feel more comfortable calling the minister by their surname. I answered please call me David.

I am really happy with the name I have. Your name tells a lot about the person. My surname is Anderson which is one of the most common names on the East Coast of Scotland. I sometimes tease people by saying that I think I am the product of a Viking raiding part in the 9th Century as Anderson is a very common name in Scandinavia too. It is now frowned in our society to use the term Christian name, which is a pity. But my Christian name is David. I am called after my Grandfather who was a lovely man.

In the two sections of the Bible referred to above, names are the important themes in both these readings.

In the Old Testament Lesson, Moses was asked by God to go and deliver the Israelites from their slavery in Egypt. He asked God, who is it that is sending me - what is your name? Moses was given the answer "I AM WHO I AM. I AM has sent me to you." In some translations the Hebrew Jaweh or Jehovah is used.

In the New Testament Lesson, Jesus says that if you ask me for anything in my name, I will do it. I don't really fully understand this verse, but my own meaning of it is that the impossible really can happen.

Look at your own life. Look how God has been caring for you, sometimes within incredibly difficult circumstances. We may have let God down, but has God ever let you down? Read again that last verse. Is that what it means?

^"You may ask me for anything in my name. I will do it."  John 14 v  14

Thought: - Think about your own name or how you are usually called. What does it convey to people about you?

Pray for people facing problems that they just cannot see a way out of.

God loves us and cares for us all.