Names Have Power
“I am who I am.”
Throughout the gospels, Jesus appears not only in proclaiming the message, but also in the person. When the suffering woman reaches out and touches his garment, he stops and asks who touched his clothing. Jesus does so not to condemn her, but to learn more about her. Jesus wants not only to heal her, but to affirm her as a human being. Shockingly, Jesus even inquires after demons.
In Mark 5, the author tells the story of Jesus healing the Gerasene Demoniac. The poor man from the country of the Gerasenes was filled with “unclean spirits.” Jesus casts out the demons, which usually ends the story of Jesus’ exorcisms. In Mark 5, however, Jesus continues by asking the demons' name. Even more surprising, the exposed demons stop, listen, and answer Jesus. The demons’ response is “My name is Legion; for we are many.”
Whether Jesus is healing a woman in distress or focusing on a bunch of demons, their story, and in the demons’ case, their name, addresses Jesus’ next steps. In the Bible, knowing the name carries power over the person or entity. Moses asks for God’s name, but God replies, “I am who I am” (Ex. 3:14). God was unwilling to give Moses power over Godself. Ironically, the supernatural demons freely tell Jesus their name, and it describes and empowers Jesus’ action to cast the demons into pigs and send them over a cliff.
Naming is important throughout Scripture. In baptism, we name the person God brings to the font. When we offer the name in baptism, we are proclaiming God’s power over the newly baptized. In baptism, God blesses but also takes a certain control over our lives. We are God’s, and we are to embrace the divine guidance and power over our lives. Fighting God’s influence leads to struggle and disharmony. Embracing God’s direction provides comfort, spiritual stability, and affirmation that our lives are being lived in harmony with the Divine One. Offer yourself to God again today. When you do, you fulfill your baptism, and you will live in harmony with your Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer.
