Two times in the last week, I had the same profound experience.
The first came at a year end conference where the speaker walked us through a listening exercise. In it Jesus comes into the room with us. We realize there is a name written on our forehead. It is not flattering – “not good enough”, “second”, “unwanted”…
Then Jesus walks over. He washes off this name and writes on a new one, what is it?
As the speaker led the 200+ students and staff through this experience, many sensed a new name – “worthy”, “loved”, “ready”. After sharing and praying with the person next to them, over 2/3rds of the audience, including me, said they had a significant encounter with God.
Fast forward four days, I am at church and the preacher is speaking on identity. In her sermon she listed five names she had taken on herself and then the names God replaced them with. At the end as a church community we listened for the name that God speaks over us.
We see this kind of work often in the life of Jesus, renaming those that others have cast aside. We also see this in Revelation 2:17 where God gives a new name to the victorious.
What is it for you? What is the name that God speaks over you to replace one you have held on to?