Have you ever asked people what they think of their own name? It is surprising to discover how many are not really happy with it. I suppose people get used to their own name and, therefore, find it dull and uninteresting.

Some names which perhaps are not very common, by that very fact, take us by surprise and their very novelty produces a pleasing effect. Or, because of certain associations, the name of someone dear and precious to us is always like music to our ears. "What a lovely name!" we might exclaim.

More to a Name
A name is more than just a personal label. Names have meanings, and, in the past, those meanings said something about the person's character - actual or hoped for. For example, Sarah means "a princess", Lucy "light", Martin "warlike" and Stephen "a crown". In the Bible, one name stands out above all others; that name is the name of Jesus. His name has a meaning too. Our English form of Jesus comes from the Greek version of His name, but, in Hebrew, it is Yeshua (in its English form - Joshua). "Yeshua" means "the Lord saves". When Jesus was about to be born, Joseph was told in a dream that Mary would have a son and that he was to "...call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1 v 21). Yes, Jesus, the Lord from heaven, God incarnate, came to save us from sin and from the misery and utter desolation it causes. He came so that we might have life in all its abundance.

Name Above all Names
When Christians think on the name of Jesus, they cannot help but be thrilled. There are many songs that we sing about the name of Jesus: "How sweet the name of Jesus sounds", "There is a Name I love to hear", and "What a Lovely Name, the name of Jesus." It is, on the one hand, because of what that name means, but it is also because of the precious associations that it brings to our hearts and minds. You see, we know that He is the Saviour of the world, but we also know that He is our personal Saviour. We know what He did to save us. He suffered the awful death of the cross on Calvary, as a sacrifice, as a substitute, bearing the penalty for our sins so that we could go free. He rescued us from the terrible consequences of sin by laying down His own life. In the Bible it says that He "...made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.. Wherefore God also has highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow..." (Philippians 2 vv 7-10) Can I ask you, dear reader, does the name of Jesus mean anything to you? Is His name just a term of frustration to use when things go wrong? It is our prayer that you might see how precious the Name of Jesus is, that you too might be able to say, "What a lovely Name!" Truly, His is the Name above all names.

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