Called by name (part two)

I don't actually know why my parents named me the name they did, apart from them thinking it "sounded nice". For a long time, I didn't actually like my full first name, thinking it was too long and daggy and insisting on being called by the shortened version. For years I didn't even think about what my given name actually meant.

My given name is the Anglicised version of the original Greek, and it means 'pure'. I remember thinking when I first found out "that's pretty cool" but didn't think much about it beyond that. It was around this time that, with the encouragement of a friend, I began to love the original, longer version of my name and began to refer to myself again by the name that I was given as a baby.

It was only when I started living in Japan for the second time, in 2005, that I began to realise that the name my parents chose for me was no accident, but was actually a result of the Holy Spirit whispering to my Christian father's heart. For God's destiny for my life is to be a light in Japan, to shine out God's holiness to those around me who are desparately searching for something good, something real, something worthwhile, something PURE.

And that is what I am called to be, pure and holy, because HE is holy (1 Peter 1:16). God inspired my parents to name me in accordance with what He aspires me to be. Of course, it is impossible for me to fulfill this command in my own strength, being human, flawed and imperfect. Many (many, many) times I have fallen short, FAR short, particularly when I try to do things my way instead of listening and following God's direction.

But God is gracious, He is forgiving, He RESTORES, even purity, through the perfect, sacrificial blood of His Son Jesus. So I am not discouraged, but instead continue to rely on Him, call on Him to give me His joy, strength, power and love so that I can strive to become pure and holy, more like Jesus, and in so doing, hold out His hope and promise of salvation and a victorious, purpose-filled, world-changing life to all those who call on His name.