Being named, being chosen

Pastor Barbara Moyer Lehman began her sermon on New Years Day by telling the story of Sojourner Truth and how this African American woman gained her name. This woman chose her name, and her name gave her her identity. In Luke 2 we hear of Jesus being named when he was 8 days old. Mary and Joseph had no idea at the time how Jesus would live into his name. Here in North America we do not necessarily attach great importance to the naming of children, in that we don't look closely at the meaning of a name. Sojourner Truth did. She chose a name and then lived out the meaning of that name. But names do carry weight and meaning in our culture. In the New Testament people acted in the name of Jesus. Today, we pray in the name of Jesus. Our prayers are grounded in our faith in Jesus. In Philippians 2:5-11, we hear that God exalted his son, and gave him a name above every other name. Blessed be the name of the Lord!