Carved in Stone

Carved in Stone

by Holly Moulder

 

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.  –Revelation 2: 17

 

          “John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt, his name is my name, too!” is a silly song I remember singing with my friends in elementary school. We giggled and snickered at the ridiculous lyrics, first screaming the words at the top of our lungs, and then whispering them in a hushed chorus. It was all childish fun, little girls making memories. I didn’t understand until I got older just how important a name could be.

 

          My name is printed boldly on two diplomas and countless certificates, now lost. It is carved on my ‘teacher of the year’ plaque and my book awards. It’s displayed on the covers of the novels I’ve written.  But over the years, it’s been changed. There was a marriage, a divorce, a re-marriage. New last names were added to my social security card, W-2s and driver’s licenses. And as my legal name got larger, the original me diminished. “When the roll is called up yonder,” I mused, “will I know what name to answer to?”

 

          That’s why this verse is so important to me. I love that only He and I will know this name. He has chosen it for me and carved it, to last forever, on a white stone. 

 

And He didn’t choose white by chance. Leprous skin, when healed, becomes as white as snow. Heaven’s food, manna, is white like coriander seeds.  Royal garments are not just blue, but white, too. During the transfiguration in Matthew 17:2, Jesus’ robes turned white as the light.  In John 20:12, the angels in the empty tomb are clothed in white. “The one who is victorious will be dressed in white,” says Revelation 3: 5.  And in Revelation 19:11, the rider on the white horse is named “Faithful and True”.

Finally, my favorite:

 

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. --Revelation 20:11

          The name given to every believer–yes, that means you!—will be engraved on a white stone, given to each one of us by the Father himself.  That’s white, as in pure, true, faithful, royal, clean, victorious and mighty!

 

Father, I rest on your timeless promises.  Forgive me for my sins, and make me white as snow. Help me to overcome the traps and snares of this world so that I will receive the hidden manna and the white stone you have promised to the faithful.