Saul to Paul

I’ve been reading a book series and an ongoing theme of the books talks about names and their meanings. Last night I was reading and the meaning of the name Marie came up. The book said that it meant “Rebellious.” When I read that my heart sank. That is Jocie’s middle name. Normally I don’t hold too much stock in the meaning of names, but for some reason when I saw that it really disturbed me. I know it had to do with how much she is like me, and when I was young my first, middle and last name was Rebellious! I was openly defiant. I was secretly defiant. I was not sorrowful or repentant.
It builds my faith so much when I think about what the Lord has done in me. I’m not the same person I was before. I really am a new creation. I still marvel at what the Lord has done with me!
So anyway, last night I was disturbed by the meaning of Jocie’s middle name. Also, tomorrow is her birthday. She will be six. I just hated the thought of rebellion becoming a part of who she is. I began to think that she needed to be renamed. I don’t think I was thinking legally renamed but spiritually renamed. I paused in my reading and with a heavy heart asked the Lord to reverse that name.
Fast forward to about an hour and a half later. I got on the floor in my bedroom to sign all the kids folders for the next day. The papers in there were left over from Friday. I usually sign the folders on Sunday nights but since they didn’t have school on Monday I decided to do it the next day.
Well, Jocie’s was the first one I opened and there was a loose paper in there. It was bright blue. I pulled it out and it was from her field trip to the Discovery Center. It’s a Christian place in town where they talk about the creation of the world. Rodnie Robot is there and he tells the kids the meaning of their names. On the blue piece of paper is said, “Your name Marie means: Living Fragrance.”
I sat there and just stared at that piece of paper and felt so close to the Lord! I guess she tried to tell Rodnie that her name was Jocie and he didn’t have a meaning for that name so she told him her middle name.
Isn’t that amazing? The Lord has redeemed her. She will not be called Rebellious. She is a Living Fragrance to Him! She is a Living Fragrance to her Mommy and Poppa. The Lord is so faithful to us!