If
you have ten minutes, I wanted to encourage your faith today in a
lighthearted way, to celebrate with you a great God who answers
prayers so fantastic that my own brother was doubting me after I told
him. Enjoy
We’ve
had so much joy asking God to name our kids. There are many places in the Bible
where people are given names whose meaning fits them all too well. Therefore,
we definitely wanted a meaningful name for our third child. After about 6
months of considering dozens of names with rich meaning and digging through
Bible characters, Lindsey and I did not have harmony on a name. I was excited
about naming her Ruth; however, Lindsey was not. After some frustration in not
having a name we stopped looking and started praying. We knew that God led us
to the names of our first two children and so He could do it again if we asked.
God
was busy forming her inward parts, knitting her in Lindsey’s womb, making her
in secret. God already numbered my daughter’s days. Add to that, He already knew
her name before me! Instead of resting and trusting on all these truths, I kept
inserting my own will, “Lord, perhaps I should look up a missionary hero, or
maybe God you can change Lindsey’s mind about naming her Phoebe (my number 2
pick).” I felt the Friends sitcom ended a long time ago, Lindsey didn’t agree.
I found myself negotiating, leveraging and complaining in prayer rather than
surrendering. By God’s grace, I reserved myself to trust, and pray daily for
God to give the name to us.
About
halfway through the third trimester, one morning, I was in prayer about other
things and the name Renée came to mind twice, like a whisper within seconds of
each other. It was too soft to be a distracting thought, too certain to ignore.
I stopped praying, and realized that in French that name means “born again” or
rebirth. A smile came to my face and I proclaimed “Lord that’s the name, praise
you Lord. Thank you for Renée.” From that moment on I started praying for her
by name and that the meaning of her name would describe her life one day! Then,
I asked our gracious Lord to reveal the name to Lindsey. “Please God you tell
her because she hasn’t liked my suggestions.” So I left it up to God, and
prayed for Renée in faith that it was her name.
Later
that day I told Lindsey, “The Lord gave me her name and I have been praying for
her by that name. Oh and I asked God to reveal it to you so there would be no
doubt.” Lindsey was shocked at these developments yet fully confident that I
had heard from God. She said she had no worries about the name because even if
she doesn’t hear it from God ahead of time, I would say the name at the
delivery. It would all be good. Her trust allowed me to grow in confidence that
God indeed spoke the name. I upheld the name Renée in prayer for her and was
sure hopeful that God was going to reveal the name to Lindsey.
Periodically
Lindsey would playfully wonder and suggest names that she liked while confessing
that there wasn’t any nudge from the Spirit. After a couple conversations like
that I said “if God didn’t tell you it, don’t guess it.” As the remaining weeks
of the pregnancy went by, I found myself impatient for God to tell Lindsey and fearful
that she would mock the name or be displeased. So, I dropped these hints “its French,
not super uncommon, and has two syllables.”
A
week before Renée’s birth, during the quietness of putting Simon down to sleep
for the night, a name came to her. Lindsey comes out of my son’s room after
putting him down to sleep, full of excitement telling me that she is sure of
the name. She looked up the meaning because I told her it had a beautiful
meaning or hope for our daughter. In shock about her confidence, I told her to not
tell me the name. She was sure, I was sure but nervous to see the results.
A week
went by and active labor started naturally on Valentine’s Day. Amid the
contractions I brought two sheets of paper and two pens to her. “let’s write
the name down at the same time and on the count of three we’ll flip them
around.”
We
flipped over our sheets of paper simultaneously and Glory to God they both had Renée written on it (although mine had the accent on the
“e”). To this day I can’t believe that the All-powerful God of creation, the
One who raises the dead to new life in Jesus Christ, the One working for the
good for those who love Him, would condescend to my little prayer and glorify
Himself over such a small thing for Him to do. He is miraculous and the God of
perfect timing. This will always remind me how much He loves me. He didn’t have
to, but He did!!!
