I’ve recently been leading some workshop-type gatherings to help people grow in confidence in hearing God speak. What a privilege! One of the themes we’ve explored is the prophetic significance of our names and how God knew our names long before our parents did. Even if we don’t like our name or our name has a negative meaning, our Heavenly Father has placed redemptive meaning and purpose in the names we carry – even to bring the reverse of their meaning or for us to have special influence in the very areas of pain or difficulty associated with our name. It’s a powerful topic to explore and I strongly recommend it if you haven’t looked into your own name/s meaning for a while – or ever before!
Even though names have been on my mind, I didn’t expect to have encounters around names with strangers in the marketplace. But that is exactly what happened recently, just before our second lockdown came into force! There were two young chaps in one of the shopping centres I was walking through who seemed to draw my attention. They were representing an organisation and, whilst they were busy with other passers-by, I drew aside to ask Holy Spirit how He wanted to encounter these young men today. There were no specific leadings or words that were coming, until I felt He nudged me to - the meaning of their names! That they needed to know what their names mean and the significance of that for their future – including their future Jesus journey. So off I went to approach them.
The first young man was very chatty and interesting. We spoke about things to do with the organisation he worked for. Then I explained how I had felt drawn to ask God for special encouragement for him today and had felt there was something very significant for him in his name meaning. I didn’t know his name yet, but he willingly told me - he is called Wilfred! Not knowing the name meaning myself, he was happy for me to look it up on my phone (I was hoping and praying it would be a straightforward meaning and not a really negative one!!) We discovered the root, original meaning of Wilfred is – one who wants/wills peace.
As soon as he saw that, Wilfred exclaimed out loud – “that is so true!” I am the peacemaker in my family. Two sides of our family hate each other but I am the one who tries to build bridges between them”. He went on to explain some other areas where he brings peace into troubled situations or atmospheres, something that I explained Jesus had put in his name, not just to will peace but to impart it too. He was really excited by this and then went on to tell me that he had had his two young children christened last year and had felt that he wanted to be christened too! So he was! Wilfred may have a sketchy understanding of the Kingdom of Jesus, but Jesus the Prince of Peace is certainly on a journey with him and was meeting him in person through that brief encounter in the shopping centre. He was really thankful for the time I spent with him. And I was so grateful to the Holy Spirit for his “name nudge”!
The other young gentleman was a little less easy to engage, but I managed to tell him about the encouragement and purpose he would find in his name meaning that God was highlighting for him today. He divulged that his grandmother (or maybe his mother) had given him a little wall plaque detailing the meaning of his name many years ago. It always used to be on his wall or shelf, but he had put it away in a drawer and not seen it for quite a while. He was keen now to get it out again and see what it said about him! His name is Sean. Although I didn’t feel it was the right time to check his name meaning with him there and then, I looked it up when I got home. His name means: God is gracious!!! Wow - and yes!!
Perhaps you would join me in praying for these two young gentlemen who heard God call them by name in the middle of a busy shopping centre that day? And why not ask Him some more about your very own name – you may share the same name with millions or with few, but NO-ONE before you or since will ever share the unique way that Jesus know, loves and calls you by your name.