“O our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!
Your glory is higher than the heavens.”
(Psalm 8:1, NLT)

What’s in a name?  My daughter and her husband are expecting their first baby (and our first grand baby!).  I’m not privy to how long they discussed baby names, but my daughter did tell me the method they used in choosing a name.  Her husband’s full name includes double letters in his first, middle and last names.  Therefore, they decided on a boy’s name and a girl’s name with double letters.  In finding out they are expecting a girl, they creatively divulged to us her name: Scarlette Janelle.

In our culture today, parents choose names for various reasons.  They might pass on a family name, or they may name a child after someone they love or respect, or maybe they just choose a name they like.   Sometimes a name is given because of what the name means.  This was often the practice in the days of Jesus’ birth.

In fact, Jesus’ name held great meaning and was purposefully chosen.  His mother, Mary, visited by an other-wordly being, Gabriel, a messenger of God, was told she would have a son and she was to call him Jesus.

According to behindthename.com, Jesus is the english form of Iesous, the Greek form of the Aramaic name Yeshu’a, which itself is a contracted form of the Hebrew name Yehoshu’a or Joshua, meaning YAHWEH (the Hebrew name for God) is salvation.

So Jesus’ name means God is salvation.

Both Joel 2:32 and Romans 10:13 tell us “Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.” (‭NLT)
How incredible that Jesus name means God is salvation. And how fitting that when we call on His name, we are saved.

The psalmist declares His name fills all the earth.  Where ever we look we see evidence of Him and His glory displayed. So where ever we look, His salvation is revealed to us.

In what ways have you seen evidence of God’s salvation? Do you look elsewhere for saving grace, or are you able to see it in the name of Jesus?

Father, I proclaim that your majestic, saving name fills all the earth, everywhere, including my life. May I look nowhere else but the name of Jesus to be saved.