I wonder if the angel Gabriel’s visit to Mary seemed like a dream to her after he departed. She must have gone over every word they exchanged in her heart over and over again; trying to make sense of them. The one thing she could cling to was a name: Jesus. I could imagine her repeating the name throughout her pregnancy, trying out the name in her own voice until it became more familiar than her own. Perhaps holding her baby’s name in her heart brought her comfort on days when she began to feel overwhelmed by the magnitude of becoming His mother. Although she was scared, and more than a little confused, she believed in God’s promise.

I learned how truly important a name can be during the pregnancy of my own children. For the first few months while “the baby” grew inside of me, they held no real identity for me. It all seemed like a dream. Although the excitement of having a baby was indescribable, it was difficult to picture their nameless little faces. But the moment we began choosing a name for our little one, the coming of this new family member suddenly became very real. The baby’s name sealed their identity for me. Even though I didn’t know if we were expecting a boy or a girl, the idea that I could call them by name meant that I had finally formed a tangible connection with them.

Mary knew her baby’s name from the very first day. How wonderful it must have been for her to have been able to make a personal, not to mention spiritual, connection with Him from the start.  His name was no ordinary name and it not only sealed His identity for her, but from the very first moment she called out His name, it sealed her eternity. From the moment the angel gave her the Good News, she was literally filled with God’s Love. Mary’s baby was the Messiah, the Savior, the King of Heaven! His name is Jesus!

Suggested Prayer:

… What a wonderful Name it is, what a wonderful Name it is!                                                       The Name of Jesus Christ my King                                                                                          What a wonderful Name it is, nothing compares to this;                                                        

What a wonderful Name it is, the Name of Jesus…                                                                  How sweet is Your Name, Lord, (how good You are) We love to sing in Your Name, Lord, love to sing of who You are²

1.    Luke 1:30-31 (ESV).

2.    “What a Beautiful Name” song by Hillsong Worship, 2017

Today’s Encounter was written by: Veronica B.