A dream I had decades ago has stayed with me through the years. It was a short dream that centered around part of my name. Since the dream has stayed in my memory all this time, it makes me strongly believe it was of God, and that there’s something important about a person’s name.
I believe that’s why I find myself drawn to a familiar question in William Shakespeare's famous play, Romeo and Juliet. She asks the well-known question, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet.” She was in essence saying a person could bear any name, yet would still be the same in character and at heart. In other words, a person’s name given at birth does not dictate the type of person they will become.
That sounds so right on the surface, but then I wonder, is it? I can’t help but think of scripture that shows how God would sometime change a person’s name when they responded to the call to follow Him. A couple examples are when Jesus changed Simon’s name, which meant, “listen” or “hear”, to Peter, meaning “a rock”; and when God changed Jacob’s name, which meant “supplanter,” to Israel, which means “having power with God.”
Changing their name seemed to tell them and others, “Your old life is gone … you have been given a new life in Christ.” The same is true for us today. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV) tells us, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” Along with this new life, we too have also been given a new name. The name we share is, Christian, which means, “Follower of Christ.”
As I have begun processing this while writing, I am starting to see that when God gives us a new name, it doesn’t reflect what we currently are, but what we are becoming. That realization brings me back full circle to my dream.
I don’t recall what was happening in our lives when I had the dream. But I do know as far back as I can remember, I have felt drawn to God. I accepted him into my heart while still in one of the lower grades in Grade School, and even started teaching Sunday School when I was 12.
My dream was short, but potent. I suddenly saw myself walking through a field of flowers of various kinds. Their color more beautiful, vibrant and full of life – unlike anything in this world. The air was fresh. It was like a beautiful perfect day like no other. I seemed to be heading somewhere, but was moving at a relaxed, peaceful pace, like an enjoyable stroll. I sensed a row of beautiful trees on my left that might have been lined along a river. I then heard a strong yet gentle voice speak to me, telling me, “Your name is Eve…” and then spoke a string of what seemed to be syllables from a language I couldn’t understand. It was a long name, and I sensed each “syllable” meant something. And then I woke up.
I only know “Eve” means life, but the rest of the name remains a mystery to me. I remain curious about its full meaning, and to why God would leave me with a mystery about it.
If the name God gave me truly reflects what I’m becoming, why is He keeping it a mystery? I can only keep moving forward in faith, and depend on Him to guide me. But when I think about it, that’s what we all do while following Him.
But I must admit, I look forward to the day I can ask Him about it, faceto- face. What an amazing day that will be! Perhaps I’ll even find myself strolling through a familiar field of beautiful flowers.