By: Payton M. Ishmael
I can't remember how old I was when I decided that Lynyrd Skynyrd was cool, perhaps it was during the same era as my Van Halen hair cut. I'll admit, the following thoughts came to me while running on the treadmill singing along to "What's Your Name?"
Recently in the teen Sunday school class, we discussed how God changed Sarai's name (meaning ‘contentious’) to Sarah (meaning ‘beautiful’) and then blessed her late in life with her first born child. By "late in life", I don't mean how many are choosing to wait well into their 30's to become parents, but far beyond today's average entire life span. He also changed Abram's name (meaning ‘exalted father’) to Abraham (meaning ‘father of multitude’) and made him the father of many nations. I'm fond of Abraham's many stories. I really think a great name was selected for the child he had with Hagar. Although, I'm quite sure Ishmael was never accused of being the favorite.
So there I was, singing along to Lynyrd Skynrd, running away on my treadmill, and thinking about Abraham. The thought kept coming back, "What's your name?" I guess it's a slight possibility that I had my iPod on repeat, but you get the point.
I feel like I'm a different person than I was 5 years ago. Many of you probably feel the same. We face experiences, some good, others bad, that make a mark in our lives and cause us to grow in one of many directions. As a result, these changes make us into new people in a sort. Sarai and Abram were both changed and blessed by God and to show outward proof of becoming new creations, they were given new names.
Is it time for things in your life to change? Is your complacency destroying you? Is there something you need to let go of? Change is one of the few certainties we have in this life. Make sure to use the change in your life for good and for the cause of Christ. We too have the opportunity to become new creations in Christ. Have you made that decision? What's your new name? Better yet, what’s your new purpose?
No comments:
Post a Comment