What's in a Name?

"Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.  He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." I John 4:7-8

Good morning, friends!

At the beginning of every school year where I teach English here in France, I have around 80-100 children and then as many parents, grandparents, and babysitters to recognize and whose names I have to learn.

I am terrible with learning names.  Over the years I have tried many tricks and gimmicks.  It usually takes me three or four meetings with the same people before I remember their names without fail.

(Just a sidenote:  As missionaries, we meet a LOT of people.  So, if I met you four years ago on our last furlough, and haven't had any contact with you since, please go easy on me if I have to ask your name.)

One of the ways that works the best for me at the beginning of each school year (or ladies meeting, or camp retreat) is to play a simple game, where my group sits in a circle, and I start off by saying, "My name is Susan and I like sweets." Then each person says the names before them, and then adds something they like that begins with the same first letter as their name.  It's simple, and usually by the end of the game I have learned names and something personal about each individual.

The Bible tells us much about God's character:  His holiness, His mercy, His faithfulness, His compassion.  I love the verses mentioned at the beginning of this blog.  When I want to know who God is, and associate something personal to Him, I don't have to look any further than I John 4:7-8:

God is love.

I cannot dissociate my God from His love.  I have often heard it said that if God stopped loving, then He would stop being.  God IS love, and when Satan, the world and my own flesh want me to think otherwise, I return to this Scripture and remember that all that God is, and all that He does, has as the source a perfect sacrifical unconditional love.

Is it any wonder that God reminds me in this passage that if God is love, and I call myself His child, that I should also love as He loves?

How does God love?  I Corinthians 13, the famous love chapter of the Bible, reminds me that this is no sentimental sappy tripe dreamed up by card designers in time for Valentine's Day.

(It is CERTAINLY not the lustful animalistic "love" portrayed in certain movies which I shall for all decency's sake refrain from mentioning.)

God's love is measureless, boundless.  It can however be seen, and experienced, by looking at His Son, and the sacrificial devotion of Jesus as He left heaven's worship to offer Himself as a sacrifice for my sins.

These verses also remind me that if I DO NOT love, then I am not able to associate myself with God and His love.  Very powerful statement indeed.

I'm so thankful that when I think of God's name, love is one of the first of His qualities that comes to mind.

I wonder, when others think of me, if they associate my name with God's love, as well.