Before we adopted an 8-year-old boy from the foster care system, the name on his birth certificate simply stated, Tom Jones.* No middle name. And not Thomas, just Tom. So when we adopted Him, we renamed him by changing his first name to Thomas, giving him a middle name, and of course, giving him our last name of Tillman.

We thought Tommy would love his welcome into the Tillman family and be thrilled that we gave him our name. But he wasn’t. Not at first. He insisted we refer to him by his former name.

Our adoption agency helped us understand that his reaction was normal and wasn’t about us. All that belonged to Tommy from his former life, other than some second-hand clothing and a few toys, was his name. In the previous six years he’d cycled through several foster families with several different sets of moms and dads. He had to learn and unlearn and learn and unlearn various set of house rules, routines, accepted behaviors, ways and attitudes. When he first came to us he called every man “dad” and every woman “mom” because he had no idea what permanent parents were. The only thing he had to center his identity was his name. No wonder he didn’t want to let it go.

But he was now our son, no longer living in his past, so we named him?Tillman.?At first he didn’t look, talk or act like a Tillman, but that didn’t change the reality that he?was,?indeed, a Tillman, with full rights of privilege and inheritance. After a while, living, loving and wrestling together, day in and day out, he learned to trust, and Tommy found his identity in our love. He settled into his new name and embraced his place as the beloved son of the Tillman household.

Tommy’s identity as a beloved son?was buried deep like a seed. The?Tillman?name called out his?identity that sprouted in ground fertilized by love, and established solid roots that grew significant purpose.

That’s what naming is all about. Not just a title, but drawing out someone’s identity and purpose.

Bible stories often highlight this importance of naming.?Recall that God renamed Abram. “No longer shall your name be called Abram, but Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations” (Gen. 17:5).

And He renamed Sarai. “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah… And I will bless her and also give you a son by her… and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be from her…” (Gen. 17:15-16).

At the time, Sarah had no child. In fact, Abraham laughed at God when He changed Sarai’s name to the?mother of nations and kings?(Gen. 17:17).?Abram didn’t believe the potential that God was drawing out of Sarah. But whether he believed or not, it was true, and God named Sarah accordingly.

And our Father has named each of us. From Him “the whole family in heaven and earth is named” (Eph. 3:14).

What potential does Father calls out of us, even though we might not see it yet?

As children of the Father’s household through Christ, He calls us:

• Sons of God and of Light (Rom 8:14; Gal 4:5-6; 1 Thess. 5:5)
• The Bride/Wife of Christ (Rev. 19:7; 21:9)
• The righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21)
• Alive in the power of God (Rom. 6:11; 2 Cor. 13:4)
• More than Conquerors (Rom. 8:38)
• Accepted in the Beloved (Eph 1:6)
• Redeemed, Forgiven (Eph. 1:7)
• Complete (Col. 2:10)

 

This only begins the list of names the Lord gave to draw out our identity in His love. These names speak truth to confront the lies that the enemy uses to keep us in our past life, to stop us from growing in the full potential of God’s purpose. So let’s accept the names our Father has spoken over us!

Have you named someone today?
We bless others by speaking over them the true names that God has given them, as the Spirit nudges us to speak and pray. When the enemy’s lies try to pull people down, with the attitude of our gentle Shepherd, bless them with their true names! Nourish the seed that Father God planted so they grow strong roots of identity and purpose.

*Jones?is a pseudonym for privacy and security.