Whats in a name?

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18462935.post-1152986290220988602006-07-15T16:40:00.000Z2006-07-15T18:13:53.206ZWhats in a name?<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5985/1807/1600/P1010059.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5985/1807/320/P1010059.jpg" border="0" /></a> Holding my son for the first time was overwhelming. The contrast between his vulnerability but looking at him and considering his potential. This little boy will one day know Jesus for himself. He will love well and walk as one who is loved. A lilly of the valleys who touches the heart of God like few do. I wept and held him near to my chest. My son with whom I am well pleased. Perfect in everyway before he can even open his eyes. As I held him I felt worship and gratitude bubble up out of my heart and I whispered to Jesus, "thank you, he is yours. I know he has only just arrived but I want you to know I give him to you right now. All that he is, is for you and about you. I want you to know that I don't take this lightly" Whats in a name? God often changed people's names. You have been called......but I will call you......The inference being that they had been given the wrong name which was out of sync with who they were going to be. When they were knit together by God in their mother's womb God had laid his hand on them with thoughts concerning them outnumbering the sand on the beach. Haze and I therefore took the naming of our child as no light matter. It started with the question, 'God, who are you blessing us with! One of the most profound character descriptions in all the Bible is ascribed to Barnabas: "He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith" (Acts 11:24). That passage continues, "And a great number of people were brought to the Lord ...," no doubt in part because of Barnabas' encouragement and peacemaking mission. Haze tells me that only two people are described as good in the bible. One of them is Barnabas, the other is Jesus. That said he is not one of the most talked about people. The 'popular' guys are Peter, James, John and Paul. Barnabas is more in the background until you start piecing it all together. Barnabas was a man of encouragement (Acts 4:36). His real name was Joseph the Levite, yet as the result of his attitudes and actions, the disciples surnamed him Barnabas, which means "Son of Encouragement." Wherever Barnabas is mentioned in the Bible, there is always the activity of encouragement (Acts 11:23; 14:22; 15:31). The term encouragement is derived from the Greek parakaleo. That word comes from the same root that Jesus used to describe the Holy Spirit when he said, "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor . . . ." (John 14:16). Barnabas was a man who rejoiced. Acts 11:23 and 15:3 reveal that he brought great joy to all the church. I picture Barnabas as a fun guy who knew how to have a good time but always took very seriously the fact that Jesus had placed his hand upon him. So, he was no doubt at the parties but probably looking for the guy standing on his own. Barnabas was full of the Holy Spirit Because Barnabas was a man full of the Holy Spirit, his peacemaking impact was a natural consequence of God at work in his life. I pray that Barny knows the sweetness/weight of God on his life. I have experienced it since I was about 16-17 and it means everything to me. Jesus has been my encourager and motivation. Without him I would be nothing. Barnabas was a man of courage When the disciples were skeptical of the Apostle Paul's conversion, it was Barnabas who took a calculated risk. He had the courage to bring the disciples together with Paul, the former terrorist of the Christian faith. Its a bit like me being asked to go and meet Osama bin laden who has recently had a 'spiritual experience'!! Barnabas is not a 'nice' guy who says 'nice' things to people but is otherwise a bit bland. No, he was a soldier for Christ. Barnabas was a man of perseverance (Acts 13:50; 14:21-24). He never gave up on people or situations. When the going got tough he remained focused on people and was really quite selfless. After being pressured to leave Lystra because of the rioting crowd, Paul and Barnabas waited for a reasonable length of time and then returned to complete the task of "strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith" (Acts 14:22). Barnabas was accepting (Acts 11:22-23). Unlike many Jewish Christians, he did not shun the Gentile Christians, but rather rejoiced that God reached out to include them in his covenant. I pray that Barny is one who receives people no matter where they come from and refuses to Judge people no matter what state they are in. He will see what God sees and learn to discern a man's heart. Barnabas believed in people to the end just like Jesus. Barnabas recognized when John Mark was not ready for the mission field (see Acts 13:13). Unlike Paul, however, he did not consider John Mark a permanent liability but a late-bloomer. I find it fascinating that the great hero Paul gave up on John Mark for the sake of the mission but Barnabas believed in him and was willing to jeopardize the 'mission' for the sake of loving this unreliable man. It is fortunate that Barnabas recognized the timing needed for John's development since John Mark later helped Peter write his epistles! John Mark also became useful to Paul in Paul's twilight years (2 Tim. 4:11). Barnabas was willing to confront others (Acts 15:2,36-37). Barnabas confronted Paul about John Mark in Acts 15:36-37 and was temporarily wounded by separation from the man who was his best friend. Later, however, perhaps thanks to Barnabas, Paul and John Mark were reconciled (see 2 Tim 4:11). This courage to confront may expose little Barny to misunderstanding and rejection, but it provides God with a channel through which He can work to bring about repentance and reconciliation. Barnabas was discerning (Acts 11:22). It was Barnabas who was selected by the Jerusalem church to evaluate the validity of the Christian movement in Antioch. The Jerusalem elders who sent Barnabas to Antioch were confident of his discernment and peacemaking skills. A man of discernment looks at motives as well as facts. I pray that Barny will be a man of understanding and be like David in the way he enquires of God (not man) all the days of his life. Barnabas was submissive and accountable to others (Acts 4:36-37). He was a man of status (a Roman citizen) and means (a property owner), yet he was willing to share his personal wealth by denying himself and giving to a higher cause. Obviously, Barnabas felt accountable to God. Not only was Barnabas submissive to God, he was also submissive to God's people! I ask God for Barny to be able to say, "I no longer live but Christ lives in me" and that he would be a team player albeit one who will know his unique God given place on that team. Barnabas was trustworthy (Acts 11:27-30). The Gentile Christians at Antioch raised funds to provide relief for the famine-stricken Jewish Christians in Jerusalem. Barnabas may have initiated that collection and was therefore 'safe hands' when it came to this usual stumbling block of money. I pray that Barny will be free from materialism and that there may be something about him which is 'easy come easy go'. Whether he has much or little will be of little significance to him because his identity would be so rooted in how loved he is. Barnabas was humble (Acts 14:8-14). I pray that like Barnabas Barny will have a servant heart and find that place of rest at the bottom of the table where Jesus is to be found sitting. I pray that he has a confidence but not linked to his place in the world's system. This will give him such freedom to move in and out of circles and to bring words of life to people. Barnabas was a man of faith (Acts 11:24). Those who please God and who are used by Him must have faith (Heb. 11). I believe Barny will be one who leans on God's promises to him despite challenging circumstances. As my gran Megan Mills used to say and sing, "trust and obey for theres no other way, to be happy in Jesus, you must trust and obey'. Barnabas was anointed by God (Acts 13:2-4). God called and anointed Barnabas and Paul for missionary work. God enables His servants to do His work. I believe Barny will be one with that special something on his life. A touch of God and a weight which cannot be attributed to human abilities. Barnabas was a person of prayer. Philippians 4:6-7 speaks of the "peace of God which transcends all understanding...."I believe and pray that Barny will be one who prays without ceasing at all times and in different ways but constantly placing himself in that place of weakness before his all poweful God. Barnabas was a man of rest and Peace His feet are shod "with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace" (Eph. 6:15). I believe little Barny is one who will be a man of rest and peace. A pilgrim heart who has fountains of living waters on the inside. He will be an anchor to many in their place of turmoil and bring God's words of peace and life to them. More about Finn next time.Brad and Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863060333690074992noreply@blogger.com