I respond to many different names. My given name is Mary Amelia KayLynn. Thankfully I didn't have to write all of that in 1st grade. I go by Amelia, but close family and friends call me "Am." My Dad and my brothers also call me "sis." Many members of my extended family call me Mary Amelia because of the remarkable number of Marys in my family. My brother and his friends still call me Oatmelia (which didn't make sense as I hate oatmeal) and Slenderella (which I take as a compliment.) Throughout my life I have been called many random names. I had a boss who insisted on calling me "Camille." She even put it on my nametag. My theatre teacher always called me Punkin. I don't think that ever in 4 years whe used my name. As an adult, my students called me Mrs. Emery, or just Mrs. E. Some just called me teacher. My co-workers call me Mrs. Amelia and occasionally, "Miss tall person." And just today my Martial Arts Master, who has a hard time pronouncing my name) just gave up on it and started calling me "Flash." Not bad, but I prefer "Elasta-Girl." My husband calls me Am so often that it sounds wierd for him to say my whole name. He also calls me hunny. I am known to my kids' friends as Mrs. Emery, that lady from the teacher store, or most commonly "Mary Hannah's mom" or "Ethan's mom." As for my angel children, my favorite name is momma. They use all the variations: mom, mommy, and my least favorite, moooommmmmeeeee!
I know that it is common to have many names and nicknames for different situations. In fact, I do this to my children. Mary Hannah often becomes M H or Sister; Ethan is EJ or brother. Eleanor is affectionately called ELE (pronounced Ellie) and called in frustration "ELE-NO." (that one save time see, to just make that ever present "no" part of her name. We all also think of ourselves by different names. For a long time ELE called herself Eleanor Jeffrey (my husband's name) Dodd (her best friend's last name.)
So what is the point?
God has many names also, a different one for every situation: Elohim, Adoni, Lord, Master, Alpha & Omega. There are far to many to analyze or even list here. I don't pretend to be a Biblical scholar, but each of His names strikes a different tone in my heart. Just as "Mrs. Emery" strikes me as formal and is indicitave perhaps of a professional or even distant relationship, so Elohim or Adonai sounds to me. I feel a formality and sense of awe at reading these names. A more personal name for me, Amelia, makes me feel familiar, welcome, like a cozy chair by the fireplace. Likewise, Lord and Jesus are names that evoke in me a personal generally comfortable relationship. These names represent to me someone with whom I can share my thoughts, make requests, converse with, and ask for guidance from. On an even deeper level the pet name Hunny and my children calling me Momma is the most personal and intimate relationship. There are only 3 people who call me Momma and only 1 who calls me Hunny. I feel that kind of personal intimate relationship when I call God "Father." To the embodiement of this name I can bring my most intimate emotions: the incredible joy of holding my newborn child, the comforting shoulder to cry on and even rail against with perfect security in times of trouble, the intimacy of a confidante.
We often see artsy pieces with definitions of names. Sometimes our name really suits us, mine is "hard worker," and sometimes it doesn't. Mary Hannah's name seems to cancel itself out (Mary-sea of bitterness, Hannah-grace, favor.) As she is one of the most positive kiddos that I know, I'm not sure how accurate the Mary is. It is easy to look at a list of God's names and be awed by the amazing number of ways that God is named or referred to. (Try Googling "Names of God." The responses are overwhelming.) But take a look at the lists. Think about your names and God's names and the way that those names make you feel.
For me it is awe inspiring. It makes me feel pretty small. But then at the same time, I realize how in all His infintie wisdom and all the things that He must take care of, God made me. He loves me. He defines me. And He gives me all these wonderful people around me who use all my various names, and I feel big again. I am special. No matter what you call it.
-Am
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