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Thursday 26 July 2012

Eu Ori Nena

Eu Ori Nena (This is my story)

I was born named Emmanuel Hibu Arua. I was said to be named after my grandfather (my father’s father).  In my culture, every time a child is born, he is given a public name and a village name or traditional name. So there are two names, one for your public life and one for your traditional life. 

I was named after my grandfather with the name “Arua Aisi" which is off course my village name. My public name is Emmanuel Arua but because there are so many Emmanuel Arua's in Central Province, I had to uniquely identify my name by adding the "hibu" part which was my baby name given by my parents. By adding that, my name was changed to Emmanuel Hibu Arua which is the current name I am now using.

In many societies and cultures around the world, names are treated and named upon others with very high regard, sensitivity and responsibility and are believed to have a influence on a persons life, destiny or even the type of person he/she becomes. Furthermore, it is believed that you become like the person you are named after. Even the bible has accounts of great man who had names which were called upon them in order that their lives would become like their name. In other words, a name had attached to it their purpose, calling or even destiny. I for one believe in names but not because my culture practices it but because it is biblical as I believe in God (Yahweh).

After accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and savior and becoming a born again, blood washed Christian, I realized that names are very important. They can either carry a curse or a blessing. If we don't know our standing or identity in Christ Jesus, a name can be active in a persons life meaning the name fulfills what it was intended to fulfill. You become like the name or the name becomes real. When I say identity in Christ I mean that whenever you accept Christ as your personal lord and savior, you are a new being. The bible says the old has gone and the new has come. With this new life in Christ, I believe we must always consider our names and ask God making sure the blood of Jesus renews and cleanses our name from whatever its old origins and definitions were into one that is new in Christ Jesus and God ordained. That is the power of a name.

If "Emmanuel" means "God is with us" then it is definitely true that God is with us because that's what the names means or says. I have come to fall in love with my name so much because of it is meaning and I believe there is power in my name. If God's word declares that He will never leave nor forsake us, the name Emmanuel always reminds me of God's promise and it has helped me a lot in knowing that God sees everything I do both good and bad and it has helped me to be a good Christian. It played a big part in helping me to pursue a life of purity and righteousness as I know that the God I serve and revere is a awesome, powerful, loving, great and mighty God. He is watching therefore I must live right and make sure my relationship with him is in right standing and that all my motives and thoughts about everything and anything is godly. Afterall, He sees everything and is always with me. He is too big a God that I may defile and disobey

For me, this is the power of my name. This is what my name means to me and what it has done to shape my life into what God expects of me. Emmanuel means God is with us. What a powerful name?

To you my dear reader, what is your name? Is it John, Peter, Michael or Jack? Is it Arua, Warupi, Aisi, Vagi, Morea, Varage, Ravu or Kila? Whatever your name is;  I believe it really needs reviewing. Research it and see what it means. If it is from the bible, believe it and live it. This does not mean that you with a traditional name is left out. Your name is also important but you need to know what it means. If it means something good, positive and godly, be proud of it and live up to it but if it is not, you have two choices. You either change that name or you pray and ask God with the power of the blood of Jesus to remove everything bad about that name. Even if it means going to the extent of giving your life to Christ if you haven't done so and start off fresh with all curses and meanings erased of your name.

To God be the glory!

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