The Name

The Tidbit envelope has arrive at my snowy and cold door step in Michigan from warmer Atlanta!  Thank you Cheryl for sending it my way!
I'm going to start my first post on something very personal to me.  My name.
My maiden name is Patricia Carol Gerhardstein. That's 25 letters in case you were wondering.  It was and is a very long name, especially when you are a child trying to fit it on a little line when filling out information for school! I never minded my first or middle names, but that last name....that was a doozy, and 100% German.  No one could ever pronounce it or spell it, and to add a little aggravation to the situation, my family dropped the middle syllable and pronounced it "Gerstein".  Not Gerstein, like grrrrstein, but Gearstein, like a gear.  Is this clear, LOL?!  When telling my name to strangers, I always included all three syllables!

Later in life as a young married, I commented to my Mom how glad I was to shed that name and take on the simpler name of Trent.  I thought she would be in agreement with me, especially since most of the time, she wasn't that fond of my Dad!  NOPE.....she told me in no uncertain terms how much she loved that name. She went on to say it was a strong name, one that represented generations of hardworking people and that she was very proud of it.  Wow, I had been an immature example of seeing through a glass darkly!  I no longer looked on the superficial concerning my name, and to this day, I see clearly about its impact on who I am.

There is great importance in a name.  Ask any one who doesn't like theirs.   In the Bible it says in 1Samuel 25:25 "May the lord pay no attention to that wicked man Nabal.  He is just like his name - his name is Fool, and folly goes with him:"  I wouldn't suggest Nabal for a name.  It also says in Ecclesiastes 7:1 " A good name is better then fine perfume.

What is the name above all names?  The precious name of Jesus!  At the very name of Jesus every knee shall bow (Philippians 2:10).  There is power in the name of Jesus, even the demons submit in His name. (Luke 10:17).   He has been given power over everything!
I close this post with a scripture written on our hearts, the scripture that assures us of the importance of His holy name.
Acts 4:12 (NIV)
"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men which we must be saved".