1Nonetheless, those who were in distress won’t be exhausted. At an earlier time, God cursed the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but later he glorified the way of the sea, the far side of the Jordan, and the Galilee of the nations.
2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light.
On those living in a pitch-dark land, light has dawned.
3 You have made the nation great;
you have increased its joy.
They rejoiced before you as with joy at the harvest,
as those who divide plunder rejoice.
4 As on the day of Midian, you’ve shattered the yoke that burdened them,
the staff on their shoulders,
and the rod of their oppressor.
5 Because every boot of the thundering warriors,
and every garment rolled in blood
will be burned, fuel for the fire.
6 A child is born to us, a son is given to us,
and authority will be on his shoulders.
He will be named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
7 There will be vast authority and endless peace
for David’s throne and for his kingdom,
establishing and sustaining it
with justice and righteousness
now and forever.
The zeal of the Lord of heavenly forces will do this.
Reflection
What names have you been called? The list could go on and on. I am Janet or Jan, Mom, Jammy (my Grandma name), wife, sister, daughter, aunt, friend, PT, and lots of other titles and names I am sure I have been called over the course of my lifetime- some good, some not so good, some deserved and some maybe not. I am sure the same is for you. We get nicknames growing up, we are part of a clique, team, or club that may be called something, we use our titles from our professional life, and on and on. Naming a child or a pet can be difficult. We consult books or we think about people we know that have similar names, and we decide if that is a good fit. My son has named dogs after Pittsburgh sports stars who have the first name Brian – so our dog was named Giles after a Pirates player, and his current dog is named Dumo after the Penguins Brian Dumoulin.
Isaiah’s name in Hebrew means “The Lord is salvation.” Isaiah believed that God would send a child to be the Savior of the world. We read that those in darkness will see light, those who are in distress will no longer be exhausted, and there will be peace and joy among the people. The prophecy of Isaiah was written about 700 years before the birth of Jesus. The people who were given these words initially never got to see this prophecy fulfilled. All of this is our good news, and we are grateful that this prophesy came true.
While reading this passage this time, though, I was struck by the names that Isaiah gives to Jesus – names we continue to use today – Eternal, Mighty God, Prince of Peace, and Wonderful Counselor. How did Isaiah know these things? It says in Isaiah 6 that God asked, “whom shall I send?” and Isaiah said, “Send me”. Isaiah was willing to tell the people things that they did not want to hear about what they were doing that was against God, but he also gave them the hope of a Messiah. God gave Isaiah the gift of prophecy because he was willing to have God lead him.
Have you ever looked up your name to see what it means? Janet means “God is gracious” or “a gift from God.” I am sure some would beg to differ, but there it is. As such what are we doing to live up to these names we have been given and to the names that we have taken on ourselves because of what we do or who we have become? Are our names truly who we are or are we letting others dictate what those names should be? If someone calls us lazy or a workaholic, skinny or fat, dumb or smart, or whatever frequently enough, we start to believe it, and it can cause us to live into that name or title. We can call ourselves names of our choosing, but God always calls us child, beloved, chosen, forgiven. That is the reason Jesus came to earth, so that we can rely on the Lord to give us peace and comfort when we need it, and we can know that God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit will guide us through whatever we are facing if we turn to them.
by Janet Waryck
For Pondering and Prayer
How can we live into the names God calls us instead of those names we let others -including ourselves – call us? How can we follow in Isaiah’s path of telling the Lord, “Send me” so that we can share our Prince of Peace, Wonderful Counselor, and Mighty and Eternal God with others? Look up your name to see what it means. How does it make you feel? How does it make you feel to know that God calls you child, chosen, and forgiven?
Prayer: Eternal God, thank you for calling us each by name. Help us to know you and to feel you surround us with your love and goodness, even when things are difficult. Help us to trust in your love and care. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
