What’s in a Name?

 

Growing up in Tennessee, people usually called me “MAY-ree.” When we lived in Virginia, almost everyone said, “Murray.” Now, having lived in Florida most of my life, I typically hear “Merry,” which I like the sound of, or “Marry,” which fit well during my decades of marriage until my husband’s death a year ago today.

In the Bible, after her husband and sons had died, Naomi said to call her “Mara,” which means bitter. (See Ruth 1:20.)

Centuries later when the young Mary gave birth to her Son Jesus, she said,“from now on all generations will call me blessed for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and Holy is His Name,” Luke 1:48-49. With those words Mary acknowledged and named the Holy One as The Giver of Blessings and, herself, as blessed.

Now, two thousand years after that first Christmas, Christians continue to pray in the Name of Jesus, expressing our agreement with the will of God – the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

When God Himself named someone, the name typically defined a very specific purpose or direction the Lord wanted that person to take. For example, in Hebrew, Abraham means “the father of many,” while the name Sarah means “princess." Together those two names foreshadow the countless people who descended from that royal line ordained by God.

The priest Zechariah named his son John since the angel Gabriel told him to and because it means “God’s gracious gift,” which he surely was – not only because an elderly couple bore him but because he had work to do to prepare the way for his slightly younger cousin, Jesus, by calling people to repentance and baptizing them in the River Jordan.

Names give us the power to call others to come, and if they respond, so much the better! God Himself surely thinks so, too, for as He said in Isaiah 43:1, “I have called you by your name. You are Mine.” That single verse gives us plenty to praise God for and to write about in poetry, nonfiction, and fiction.

If you prefer to write fiction – short stories or novels – just remember to check out the meaning of each name you select. (I still refer to a book on naming babies I’ve had forever.) These choices will help you to develop a character in line with his or her name as the Lord did in naming Jesus, which means "YHWH is salvation." 

And remember, God named Himself “YHWH,” which, in Hebrew, means “I AM,” indicating His eternal self as alive and living in the past, present, and future. 

As you proceed to plan out your story, make sure every character, whether the protagonist (main story person), antagonist (the adversary or opponent), and incidental characters have initials unique to them. When I devoured Russian novels in my teen years, I had a terrible time following each character because it seemed like everyone, male or female, had a name beginning with “K."

Be assured, the Eternal I AM is with you now, guiding your work and calling you by the name to which He has called you – Christian writer and, always, blessed.

 

Mary Harwell Sayler

Writing with the Promises of God

Our writings in almost any genre will stay on track and be more powerful with a theme and purpose we believe to be important. As Christians, that purpose often stems from our desire to spread the Good News of the Gospel and to encourage readers in their faith.

To find a purposeful theme, we can look to God’s word and, specifically, God’s promises. For example, I’ve developed entire stories from Romans 8:28, “And we know God will work all things for the good of those who are called according to His purpose.”

With that Bible promise in mind, a novel can develop as the main character faces hard times until the last chapter when a change of circumstances or an insightful resolution brings something unexpected and wonderful.

Whether you write fiction, nonfiction, or poetry, your favorite Bible promises provide themes for your work too.

I wanted to know more about those promises because it seemed to me they offered the key to praying in God’s will. So I researched hundreds of Bible promises, then compiled them into the book, Kneeling on the Promises of God, with a brief prayer as an example guided by each verse.

Since I also wanted to know what promises mean the most to others, I searched online and asked a group of Christians to share their favorites. Not surprisingly, John 3:16 (and 17) rate the highest:

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved,” “John 3:16-17, King James Version (KJV)

After John 3:16, the most often prayed promise comes from Jeremiah 29:11, “"For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope’."

Other Christians gain hope from Matthew 6:33: ^“Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
 

Although I haven’t written about this, John 10:29 has encouraged me greatly when I start to worry about loved ones who have drawn far away from the Lord. As Jesus promised, “My Father, Who gave them to Me, is greater than all! No one can snatch them out of the Father’s hand.”

And when we ourselves drift too far, Jesus reminds us, “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world,” Matthew 28:20.

With hundreds of Bible promises to choose from, you have themes to last a lifetime of writing! May God guide your choices and your writing life in Christ.

 

Mary Harwell Sayler
who thanks God for promises never broken

 

 

 

 

The Necessity Many Christian Poets and Writers Lack

 

You pray. You help others. You’re generous with your time and talents. Most likely you’ve attended church worship services with fellow believers. But, if you have not read the Bible cover to cover and continued to read and study God’s Word, your writing will lack spiritual depth and accuracy, and your readers will _____. (Fill in the blank.)

Many of us grew up in a Christian environment and heard Bible stories from a young age. Those stories helped to shape us into people with character, but sometimes they left us thinking we had to be perfect. They weren’t! Male or female, every biblical giant had some flaw, but most Bible stories for children don’t mention that part! And so, we endlessly strive or think we’ll never be good enough for God. If, however, we read the full stories as an adult, that deeper acquaintance with the Bible will remedy a skewed perspective.

Other young Christians heard about God’s wrath, but seldom (if ever) heard about God’s forgiveness and love. Out of context, an abundance of God’s punishment might make anyone think the Lord is downright mean! He’s not. It’s just that what we knew – or thought we knew – about the Lord came from a childhood view.

When, as an adult, you read the Bible for yourself, you’ll see how patient and, yes, hurt God was by the flagrant disregard of His people for His word, and eventually, He said, “That’s enough!” The idea was to discipline and gather up His people to Himself, so they could live under His guidance, wisdom, protection, provision, and healing grace. But, often, they just wanted to do what they wanted when they wanted without restrictions, even if that meant turning their backs on God’s kind, good, and loving intentions.

Are we any different? I ask because I’ve been involved with various groups of Christian poets and writers and frequently see self-help influences instead of godly principles. For example, think positively, picture success, and it will come. Really? If that were so, who would need God? We’d be our own gods, but I don’t want to be!

I don’t know what the future will bring, but I trust God to work it out for good. I don’t know how to restore Christians to loving fellowship instead of back-biting or polarization, but with God, nothing is impossible. I don’t know how to heal people, but God does, and our loving Heavenly Father knows when it’s time and when it’s not and why.

As you read the Bible again, notice the many, many promises of God and pray in agreement, knowing you’re agreeing with God’s will. Notice how patient and long-suffering and merciful God is. Get to know Him well from His word, and you’ll be able to speak beautifully, bountifully, and powerfully on His behalf in all you write. 

And get to know, really know, Jesus.

You do know, of course, that God sent His own Son to bring all peoples back to Himself, for, through Christ, forgiveness restored our relationship with our Heavenly Father and resuscitated our spiritual lives. As we read the Gospels again and again, we get to know God more intimately through Jesus Christ, which then enables us to represent the Lord reliably and accurately in the Name of Jesus.

 

Mary Harwell Sayler