A New Name

Revelation 2:17 17 “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.”’

 We are going to focus on the part about a new name – I love this aspect of this scripture.

 The Lord really blessed in doing this devotional because He showed me something that I had never really thought about before.

 When you named your children, how did you come about that decision? My husband and I had chosen names for our girls that would honor our grandmothers.  We actually had a name for a boy (that we never got to use) that would honor his best friend, who was supposed to be his best man at our wedding, but he passed away from cancer the year before – Christopher Robert.

 In the Bible, names meant something, a lot like how we choose names.  They often represented a character trait or belief of the person.

 Look at how many names the Lord changed in the Bible – Abraham, Sarah, Jacob, Paul.  Think about also how they would name locations after significant events. Think about the significance of God’s names.

 So, when I read this scripture in Revelation and focused on the part about the new name the Lord brought this message to me that I want to share with you.

There is a difference between your image and your identity.

Image - A representation of external form of a person, thing in art; the general impression that a person, organization, or product presents to the public.

Identity - the fact of being who or what a person or thing is.

Often times we are so concerned with our image that we forget or lose focus on the fact that God knows our identity.  He knows the facts of who we are, vs the perception of who we are.

Isaiah 43:1,7

But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name;
You are Mine.

John 10:3

3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

Think about your image – now think about your identity.

What is your identity?  The facts.

1.      Daughter/son of the Most High God

2.      Beloved

3.      Bride of Christ

I wonder sometimes what my new name will be, I wonder how God sees me. Then I realize I don’t need to try to figure it out – anticipate seeing him face to face and handing you your white stone with your name on it.  Your true identity in Him, the name that He knows you by.