Namesake - When God Rewrites Your Story

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We think we are the protagonist is our story, but we are neither the protagonist or the author. God is. He is the Great Storyteller.  He is also the Name Giver. I recently finished Namesake: When God Rewrites Your Story by Jessica LaGrone. Jessica looks at the lives of several people in the Bible and uses their life stories and names to give a picture of God's deep love for us. This is a six-week study that covers Abraham and Sarah, Jacob, Naomi, Daniel, Peter, and the unnamed woman caught in adultery.  I have studied the lives of these characters before, but Jessica shed new light on their lives.

For example, the use of Peter two names {Simon and Peter} by Jesus at specific times alludes to whether Peter is acting on behalf of God or himself.  Simon was his old name.  His old nature.  Peter, the Rock, is the name that Jesus gave him. The use of both of Peter's names suggests that a transformation is going on in Peter.  He is being changed, and that metamorphosis doesn't happen overnight. Jessica writes...

Sanctification, the process of change that makes us more and more like Jesus, is more like a slow cooker than a microwave.

How true!  God is constantly working on us to make us more like Him! There was hope for Peter and there is hope for us!

Peter's journey is characterized by ups and downs along the way. Sometimes he shows his rocklike faith by walking on the water to meet Jesus. Sometimes he sinks like a stone.  But as we follow his life, we'll find that he does change and grow and ultimately live into the name Jesus has given him.

 If you are looking for a new Bible study to do, I highly recommend this one! It has changed the way I look at God, the Author of my story.