An Inkling
What a joy! I had the privilege of baptizing my grandson on December 27. That’s Hilton Robert Sherrard in the picture with me, freshly baptized.
Part of the baptismal ritual is the naming of the child. I felt a bit silly asking Lindsay and Matt for Hilton’s name. And yet it was important for them to speak his name, for it was about to be paired with The Name, and as the ones who had named Hilton, it was well that they named him then and there.
People choose names for lots of reasons – they like the sound, or they admire someone of the same name (either famous to all or familiar to the parents), or they value the meaning of a name. Some choose family names. So it is for Hilton Robert, his maternal grandmother’s family name, and his paternal grandfather’s given name. I like that – he’s unique, yet rooted.
All of which is fine. But his name is now all the richer with promise because it has been paired with The Name: “Hilton Robert Sherrard, I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” Far more important than family roots is a rootedness in the One who is his Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer.
Sometimes we talk about someone “living up to his name.” Hilton Robert Sherrard is a moniker worthy of such pursuit. But it’s not enough to build a life around. The Name is enough – more than enough. Hilton’s identity and purpose will be found in the pairing of his name and The Name – along with the power to fill out his identity and pursue his purpose. All of this and more was signified in just a few seconds in his baptism. God does very big things in very simple ways.
How about your name? How were you named? What does it mean? Whatever the meaning of your name, its pairing with The Name now gives a promise far greater than your parents could ever have imagined when they first dreamed up your name.
Here’s to Hilton,
Keith
