What’s In A Name?

Today’s Reading: 2 Kings 17-18; Galatians 4

Today I read the verses above and really had nothing to say. Instead, my brain was echoing a conversation I had with a friend earlier today. I was telling her some of my hesitation about baby names. You see, in the next month, my husband and I will be welcoming our first child into this world. We’ve had names picked out for years, but suddenly we’ve started to consider some different names. What was set in stone is suddenly being shaken up again. To me, a name is an important thing. That name, and it’s meaning, will be with our child for the rest of their life.
The same was true in Bible times. Parents gave their children names that meant something. These names were unique, and often spoke about God’s deliverance or protection. I long for my future children's names to mean as much.
But back to today. My friend asked me a question. She asked if my husband and I had ever prayed over our name choices. I was struck by the thought that we really never have. Every night my husband and I pray together before we go to sleep, but it’s never even crossed our minds to pray about the name of our child. Yes, we pray for this child’s future, and for wisdom as parents, but we’ve never prayed about the name.
To us, the name was our decision.
But maybe it isn’t. Maybe there’s a name that God has had in mind all along. And maybe it is the name He’s placed upon our hearts. But I really won’t know until I pray.

Do you ever forget to pray about the small, seemingly insignificant things? What might God be calling you to pray about today?