NICKNAMES

Do you have any nicknames? From a young age, I have always been “Kimmy”.  When I became an aunt, I was named “Aunt B” since there were two other aunts that were named Aunt Kim.  God has let me know the significance of nicknames.

YOU GET NICKNAMES WHEN YOU ARE TRULY LOVED

When my 21-year-old son Ryan died of leukemia over two years ago, we had to hold his celebration of life service several months after his death due to Covid.  In that time of waiting, I conversed with God about speaking at Ryan’s service.  I was not opposed to it, but I knew the words and strength had to come from God if it was meant to be.  I prayed for weeks that He would lay the message upon my heart that everyone needed to hear.  One morning, I heard God speak the word “nicknames” in my ear.  When I questioned God about the significance of nicknames, He said, “Because you get nicknames when you are truly loved.”

The nicknames for Ryan were abundant.  Lovingly nicknames like “Ry Ry” and “Rybo” came from family.  His buddies knew him as “Smitty”.  His basketball teammates knew him as “Big Texas” and “#5”.  His cancer journey instilled the name “RelentlesS” with an upper-case “R” and “S” for his initials.  God’s message I delivered at Ryan’s service was that Ryan’s nicknames displayed how beloved he was by so many, but the One Who loves him most is Jesus. 

The names and titles bestowed on Jesus far surpass any of those given to us.  We tend to determine which nickname we want to call our Savior depending on our circumstances.  For this season of my life, I tend to cry out to him calling, “My Rock, My Strength, My Refuge, My Help, My Hiding Place.”  The One we love the most, Jesus, is worthy of the hundreds of favorable names bestowed upon Him.

I HAVE SUMMONED YOU BY NAME; YOU ARE MINE

“…Do not fear, for I have redeemed you.  I have summoned you by name; you are mine.”  Jesus knows who you are and claims you as His. (Isaiah 43:1-2) We are not a number or a symbol. We belong to Him and He will call us by our name.  He loves us most of all and will choose a new name for us when we enter our eternal home with Him.

A NICKNAME NONE OF US WANT TO MISS

While we wait for that glorious day, we can make the choice to choose to connect, love, and build relationships with others like Ryan did.  But more importantly, is to either begin or to continue to build your relationship with Jesus. If we do this, we will receive the nickname “Good and Faithful Servant” when we enter our heavenly home. That’s a nickname none of us wants to miss.

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