Lenexa UMC Devotion

LUMC Devotion “Before the years of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh and said, “It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.” The second son he named Ephraim and said, “It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.” Genesis 41:50-52 A few weeks ago, I was invited to give a devotion on this scripture and the topic “Struggle with Self-Definition” during the week of Institute for high school youth. Today, I would like to share that devotion with you. I have to admit, although I love the story of Joseph, especially the musical technicolored version, if you had asked me in a trivia question what Joseph’s children were named, I would have had no idea. As the verse states, they were named Manasseh, meaning causing to forget, and Ephraim, meaning fruitful. The bible is rich with names that hold special meaning. Abram became Abraham which means father of many. Sarai became Sarah meaning noblewoman. Elizabeth means my God is an oath. Eve means giver of life. Ruth means friend. Aaron means exalted. David means beloved. Matthew means gift of God. Do you know what your name means? My name is Mary which is a beautiful, biblical name. I was named after both my grandmother and great-grandmother. And my name means… bitterness. So hopefully the meaning of the name isn’t exactly a prediction for who someone will become. I am currently pregnant with my first child who will be born in December. Picking a name for them is a daunting task with so many things to consider. What does the name mean? Do we want to use a family name? Traditional or modern? Classic or unique? Does the whole name sound good when you yell it? What about the initials, do they spell something weird? What nicknames could kids come up with to tease them? Picking a name for someone I haven’t even met yet is a big responsibility. Our names are one way we might define ourselves, but they certainly aren’t the only way. I’m a daughter, sister, wife, friend, Christian, Ravenclaw, dog and cat lover, crafter, teacher, KU fan. Each of these definitions make up one part of my identity, and although some of them have stayed consistent throughout my life, some identities have came and went through the years. In Developmental Psychology, there is a theory called Erikson’s 8 stages of psychosocial development. Throughout our lives, we all experience different conflicts that serve as a turning point in our development. As babies we are in the trust vs. mistrust stage asking “am I safe?” Toddlers are struggling with whether they have autonomy to do things on their own. Prechoolers are learning to assert control over their environment. As children begin school, they’re faced with applying themselves to complete tasks. Erikson says that the conflict of identity vs. confusion is seen in adolescence. As teenagers, many of us probably found that things that were a big part of life as children didn’t seem too important anymore and new self-definitions started growing. Sometimes even names change, I have many trans and non-binary friends who picked new names as part of their evolving identity. Although Erikson breaks life up into these 8 nice boxes, in my experience, this question of self-identity doesn’t end the day someone turns 18. I know my identity has continue to evolve over the last 10 years, and as I prepare to take on the new identity of mother, I don’t see the changes slowing down anytime soon. However, even in these moments when our identities are swirling around us, transforming into something new and different, God knows who you are. God knows your name. Isaiah 43:1 says “I have called you by name, you are mine.” God knows everything about you even when you don’t know for sure who you are. Even when your self-definition is still changing and developing, God already knows who you were yesterday, who you are today, and who you will be tomorrow. And God already loves you as you were yesterday, as you are today, and as you will be tomorrow. Because you were made in the image of God, every single part of you. Amen. Mary Clow Subscribe to LUMC Devotions Lenexa United Methodist Church | 9138 Caenen Lake Road, [email protected], Lenexa, KS 66215 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected] powered by Try email marketing for free today!