Jeremiah 10:6
No one is like you, O LORD; you are great,
and your name is mighty in power.
It was so fun to watch all of the girls on Olivia’s basketball team as they met the University of Kentucky players and were able to get most of the teams’ autographs.
I especially fell in love with this picture which captured Olivia with her eyes closed and mouth smiling as her shirt was being signed by yet another one of her basketball heroes……
Autographs amaze me.
Watching the girls get their shirts signed, their posters signed, their basketballs signed, I couldn’t help but notice the joy and anticipation as they patiently stood in line until the next player was ready to share their name in written form.
My mind wandered, as it often does…….
Where is the power in a person’s signature?
Why do we love to own something that has been autographed?
When someone is considered famous and/or super-talented, fans will often pay high prices to own ANYTHING that bears the person’s signature! Because of this, there are actually websites dedicated to helping you not be “tricked” into purchasing something with a fake autograph.
For our family, receiving Tony Shaloub’s (aka Monk) and Chuck Norris’ autographed pictures were both exciting days!
Nick loved these men so much! Their framed pictures sit proudly on the shelf over Nick’s bed! They are meaningful to us because they bear the celebrities’ names in their own handwriting!
But what is it about a name?
I have to think that Shakespeare was sharing this same question when he wrote Juliet’s famous lines,
“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.”
And then I look to Scripture, the history book of all history books, and the very Word of God….
and I realize that the power of a name started “In the beginning……”
Jeremiah says, “Your name is mighty in power.”
Today we pray in Jesus’ name.
We sing, “No other name but the name of Jesus…”
In Old Testament times, children were given names that had deep meaning. Many times God actually changed people’s names when He called them to a life of service to Him.
When we give our lives over to God through the acts of repentance, confession, and baptism, we are given the name Christian.
God has high expectations for those who choose to wear the name of His Son Jesus Christ.
So, looking back at the picture of Olivia as she proudly chooses to “wear” the name of one of her basketball role models, I have to wonder…………..
Am I always that happy to wear the name of my role model?
Following Jesus and wearing the name “Christian” aren’t always easy. It means “putting others first, not always getting my way, forgiving others even when I’m hurt, loving those who are sometimes difficult to love, choosing joy when bitterness seems so much easier, finding peace in the midst of a storm….”
Yes, having the privilege of wearing Jesus’ name comes at a high price.
But we can be sure that what we are getting is in no way fake.
Jesus is the genuine article!
He is the One and Only!
There has never been and will never be a greater man or a greater name than the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
So when I’m struggling to find that eye-closed, mouth-smiling pose as I choose to wear the name of Christ, I hope I will always remember this picture of Olivia and embrace the honor of Jesus’ name being written on my heart.
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus………
There’s just something about that name.
In December of 2007 as our youngest son, Nick, was fighting brain cancer, I began to blog. Writing provided a way for me to release all of my questions, fears, and doubts. It also allowed me to share the ups and downs of Nick's journey with people who were praying for him all over the world. When Nick went Home in November of 2008, my blog became my way of searching for God in the midst of my deep heartache. My heart was broken and grief brought to the surface every emotion imaginable. Being able to release those emotions through my writing brought a sense of purpose to my pain. Having already walked the road of grief in 1992 when we lost our daughter to SIDS, I knew I needed a way to keep from falling into a pit of depression and despair. I had walked close to the edge of a bottomless pit when we lost our daughter,and I knew I couldn't let myself get that close to the edge again. This blog has been and continues to be my tiny corner of the world where I can share My Heart as I journey through God's Word.......thus the name........ My Heart His Words. Thank you for taking time to share life with me. If we do not meet while here on earth, I look forward to hearing all about your life when we reach our final destiny.........Heaven! Email me anytime at 
What agreat thought…to close your eyes and smile as you say His name! Maybe we should just start doing that every morning before our feet hit the floor?!!
Wonderful post…