When my fourth son Jacob was born, we went to the hospital not knowing what we were going to name him. We joked that we had just run out of boy names. After he was born, I was with the hospital staff as they were counting fingers, toes, and other necessary extremities to make sure they were all accounted for and where they were supposed to be, they asked"well Dad, what's his name?"
After briefly considering saying that I would follow ancient Jewish custom by naming the child on the eighth day, but not willing or able to go back under the law - I said the first name that I could think of in the list of names we were considering: Jacob.
He is still Jacob by the way.
He was always going to be Jacob, I just didn't know it. That is the awesome thing about God's sovereignty. This world isn't spinning out of control, though it feels like it. Our lives aren't spinning out of control, even though it feels like it.
Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it. (Isa 46:9-11)As long as we are being devotional and you are still with me, allow me to tell you another awesome thing about God's sovereignty. God is sovereign over the big things, but not just the big things. God is sovereign ALL THE TIME. When life seems out of control and the world is crazy, but also over the flight pattern of the blue bird that is currently residing in my back yard. God is sovereign over the rock that I ran over with the lawn mower Saturday that has been waiting underground for thousands of years to make its appearance above the earth to glorify God in dulling my mower blades. God's sovereignty is displayed in a foul ball with the tying run on third and it is displayed in the next pitch that sends the batter back to the dugout.
It is also in the naming of blogs and children. The name of this blog is really inconsequential in the scheme of things I suppose, but as I consider how God has used this for me personally to meditate on God's greatness I can see how He cares for my soul even in my struggles - which makes me Rejoice in the Lord.
Grace & Peace - DP Newell
2 comments:
Thank you my brother for this kind reminder of the wonder of our God. And we pray with you with you, that while you may have struggled with what to name your son...that all the while that name had already been chosen and written in the Lamb's Book of Life.
Love and prayers- the Kiger clan
He was Abraham on the way to the hospital - we just had to pick a middle name.
But God knew all along.
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