What 's in a Name

I went to a new Starbucks the other day and told the barista (I love that job title)that my name was Joe Coffey. I always get a kick out of their response. Sometimes I have to show my identification before they believe me. I like having a name that makes people smile every once in a while. Names used to have significance. The last name "Smith" was given to the family who were blacksmiths. The name "Johnson" was given to the son of John. "Bakers" were in fact the bakers. You get the point. In Isaiah 56 God promises the childless a "name better than sons and daughters". In the ancient world a man could hardly imagine something better than a son to carry on his own name. What could possibly be better? God was promising a better name than my own. Jesus has the name above all names. When Jesus went to the cross he provided a way for adoption for me and for you. My name in heaven is no longer Coffey. My name is now and forever connected to the One who paid a great price to adopt me into his family. I am a child of God. How great is that? Along with that name comes a family, brothers and sisters, a reputation, even an inheritance. I am rich...really rich. Because of what Jesus did for me on the cross God himself looks at me differently and I even begin to look different to God. I look more like him. It's like God the Father now says,"Hey, this is Joe. He is my son. He looks like me. He has my name". And with that I think the Father smiles. I love having a name that makes people smile but it is even better to have a name that makes God himself grin from ear to ear.