A Girl and Her Name

Rewind the clock and turn to a time in which my daughter had a multitude of names.

I can no longer remember why we decided to name her Alexis, but it is a name that is fitting to her personality and what has been prophesied over her life.

When she was little and had yet to forge her own identity she would go by Alexis, Alex, Lexi, Lulu, Blue, Kiki, Yayay, depending on how she was feeling that day she would respond to one of those names.

While I did not know it then, what I have come to find is that her name truly suits who she is. The first time she was prophesied over the promise was she is the Lord’s Warrior Princess and would be a defender of many… ( She was about 8 years old.) The next time she was prophesied over the promise was She would be a defender to many people and is the a Warrior Princess in the Kingdom of heaven. (she was 10 ) Three years later once again it was Prophesied that she was a fighter a warrior in the kingdom and would bring back many to the kingdom of heaven.

So I decided to finally look and see what her name formally means… Have you guessed it yet? etymology would show her name to mean Protector of Humanity.

In the work of covenant making there is the person I once was and the person God says that I am.

A New Identity in the Covenant

Genesis 17:1–5 ESV

When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.” Then Abram fell on his face. And God said to him, “Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.

The name modification came as a result to a belief of the covenant

God breathes a new identity more than just an exalted father, he would be a father to a multitude.

Bound to the covenant

Genesis 17:15–16 ESV

And God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and moreover, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall become nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.”

Sarai whose name means contending princess is changed to Sarah My Princess

She becomes nations and from her Kings will arise

Had nothing to do with her outside of what God wanted to do with her.

A New Role in the Kingdom

Hosea 12:3–5 ESV

In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and in his manhood he strove with God. He strove with the angel and prevailed; he wept and sought his favor. He met God at Bethel, and there God spoke with us— the Lord, the God of hosts, the Lord is his memorial name:

Jacob was born a trickster. From birth is known as the subplanter or the one who takes by the heel

In the encounter with God’s representative he then is transformed

wrestled with humanity

He refuses to let go of God then he is transformed

His new name Israel he now is one who prevails with God.

No Longer Who I Once Was

Revelation 2:17 ESV

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

One of the promises that we see in the new covenant is the change of our own name

No longer confined to who we think we are, who others say we are, we are given a name according to His will, His purpose, and His plan.

I can think of the names and identities I have assumed… I can think of the accusations and identities that have been imposed on me…

I can recall the feeling of never being good enough, and even the feeling of being unlovable…

Nothing could ever replace those feelings… I look at my awards rack, and accomplishments in school, in the military and in

Yet found in the grace of God, I have heard the Lord call me by name… He has called me His own… He has called me more than enough… He has called me His own.