What's In a Name?

My four year old has been asleep for the past 14 hours straight. Given that she just finished going through her most invasive medical procedure (total of four in the last eight months), I think she deserves some rest! 

Avery's been to the doctor quite a bit in the short span of her life. Katie contracted Fifth Disease from our older daughter when she was pregnant with Avery. Fifth Disease typically isn't a big deal, but for a woman who's carrying a baby, it's a huge deal. Due to Fifth, Avery contracted anemia when she was in eutero. We spent Katie's last trimester in and out of the specialist's office checking Avery's heart and brain for healthy growth. Through multiple appointments and some soul-wrenching prayers, Avery was born beautiful, whole, and healthy.

We would never have imagined that her third year of life would pull us back into doctor's offices and emergency rooms for four procedures. In January, Avery stepped on glass. She had one of her front teeth pulled in April because she fell the previous year and jarred it, eventually damaging the nerve. The month of May found us holding her down while our pediatrician repaired her gashed-open chin with some sutures. We narrowly avoided another trip to the ER. Needless to say, she's been a bit wary to ride her bike since that trauma. Friday night, however, was more intensive then the previous three.

Avery began complaining about pain in her stomach early Friday's afternoon. We asked our neighbor and friend, a physician's assistant, to come over and check her out after dinner. She speculated that Avery could be experiencing an appendicitis but wasn't sure because Avery was holding the pain in so well. It was just hard to get a true gauge.

Unbeknownst to me at the time, Katie believed she heard G-d tell her that it was an appendicitis. She balked internally, feeling like perhaps she was just overreacting. I am just thankful she eventually followed what The Lord was speaking to her. She and Avery left for the emergency room at 11:30 PM Friday night.

Due to Avery's size and her stoic reactions to their basic physical indicator tests, and even after a CT scan, the doctors couldn't clearly identify if she was experiencing issues with her appendix. They scheduled a 9 AM appendectomy just to be safe. 

At 8:30 AM the doctor notified us that there were higher priority emergencies and that Avery's surgery was getting bumped to 12:00 PM. That was of course if there weren't any more unexpected emergencies. We questioned where a potential burst appendix in a four year old was on the scale of "emergencies". 

We immediately prayed for an earlier surgery time. The doctor returned to our room at 10 AM and said we were cleared and that an operating room was being prepped for a 10:30 AM slot. We continued to pray for a whole appendix and a healthy reaction to the anasthesia. 

Around noon Dr. Taylor returned to our room to inform us that Avery made it through surgery with a whole appendix. She admitted she was surprised; apparently it's rare to see that with kids Avery's age and size. We would be dismissed from the hospital that day rather than have to wait several days! Avery did not have any negative reactions to the anasthesia. Prayers were heard. Abba was glorified. We were simply thankful to her Maker. 

What's in a name? It's a question that's been stirring in my heart since last Thursday's church gathering. We were reciting scripture and singing songs about the powerful and beautiful name of Yeshua, but my question was why? I've heard my whole life that this name of G-d's Son is the sweetest name we know, but why? What's up with G-d and names? We see the thread throughout the Tanakh (Jewish Bible) and New Covenant writings. Yahweh integrates Abram into Abraham. He gives Jacob in the Genesis account and Simon in the gospel story both a second name. Isra'el (G-d's governor) and Petra (little rock) respectively.

Then I read this in the Jewish commentary, and my question was satisfied:

"Every name in the Torah (first five books of the Bible) represents the soul that G-d emplaced in that person."

Yeshua means "Yahweh is salvation". Embodied within our Lord is the seed of life. That is why his name is important, because it represents who he is. What's all this have to do with my daughter and her appendicitis? Avery's name means "pure wisdom". We intentionally named her this without the foreknowledge of all that she would have to go through in her early life, but these events are shaping her while at the same time fulfilling all that G-d has destined her to be. Like a clump of slightly moistened clay, with every struggle and subsequent witness of G-d's glory, Avery gets more water massaged into the walls of her heart until she takes the shape the Master Potter envisioned. 

Scripture tells us that the beginning of the wisdom of heaven is a soul-shaking awe of the Father. How is wisdom tested, purified? How does it grow into one's conscience, translate into one's actions? Seeking G-d in all our ways and at all times. Trusting him. Really...trusting and acting in obedience to his will. Learning through time and experience that he genuinely means what he says. Learning to recognize his voice, a voice that often comes in still, soft tones, and following it. Avery has been given an opportunity to refine wisdom in the fires of trust and obedience by following her Good Shepherd, he who is holy, sovereign, and to be glorified in life and death, pain and joy, through all circumstances.