A few weeks ago at our women’s community group my mom read a passage from a book we’d received at our last Ladies retreat*. It’s called “Evidence Not Seen” by Darlene Deibler Rose and is her retelling of her time as a newlywed missionary in the jungles of New Guinea during WWII. She was placed in a Japanese prison camp and ultimately lost her husband. She had been able to hang on to one personal item from her life before the war but she’d just lost that last treasure as well when she says this:
“One by one He pulled scripture passages out of the storehouse of my memory, to remind me that they had been hidden there for just a time as this. ‘ I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction’ (Isaiah 48:10). This verse called to remembrance my Lord in a blazing furnace with three young Hebrew men. There was something so poignant, so intimate about the privilege that was theirs, of “walking around in the fire” with their Lord. Because of the testimony, the faith, and the courage of three young men, the king and a crowd of people caught a glimpse of Jesus. When they emerged from the furnace, there was no acrid, caustic scent of fire upon them - just the fragrance that emanated from three young people who had been walking with their Lord in the furnace of affliction.
That is very important, isn’t it, Lord? I pray that, if I come out of this war alive, I may be ‘sweet-smelling’ - not bitter or cynical, but like a sweet-smelling, fragrant incense unto You. “
I pondered this for awhile and the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. I desire their bold faith for my own children, Darlene’s view of walking through trials and coming out the other side being sweet-smelling to our Savior, and pray that God would grant it. In attempting to name our unnamed child I am thinking constantly about names and what they mean. These young lads had strong character. An amazing legacy. And for the same reasons I wouldn’t name my daughter Candy or Bambi, I want to name my son something with great meaning, a foretaste of what God might do through him. We go back and forth, and I am finding it increasingly difficult to settle on one. Poor Graham has wanted to name him since the day we knew we were expecting. So in reflecting, and searching for a perfect name I decided to look up the meanings of the names of these three brave Hebrews. This is what I found:
Shadrach means "command of Aku". (Aku was the Babylonian moon god).
Abednego means "servant of Nabu" (Nabu was the Assyrian and Babylonian god of wisdom and writing)
Meshach means “guest of a king.”
So the men were faithful servants of the one true God, despite their given names. An excellent reminder that God is sovereign and has a purpose for my children, regardless of what I name them… Phewf.
*The past few retreats we’ve received awesome books, usually gifts from our elders. So thankful for ‘good’ books and those who take the time to share them.
2 comments:
It has been a long time since I studied the book of Daniel. But, if I recall, those were there names given to them when they were taken into captivity. These were not their parent-given Hebrew names. I'm gonna crack open the book of Daniel to refresh my memory!
Lol Shelley. You are right. Thanks for pointing that out, I'd totally forgotten. The name changes was part of the 'brainwashing' of the Babylonians, a weak attempt at removing their support of their former religions and linking them to the local gods.
Shadrach was originally Hananiah which means " the Lord is gracious", Meshach was originally Mishael meaning "Who is like the Lord?", and Abednego was changed from Azariah which means "The Lord is my helper".
So I guess that blows my thought process. But it's o.k. I think we've picked out a name and I'm pleased with it's meaning.
Post a Comment