This is going to be a very short and laconic one. Okay, now that is settled, can we move on to today’s issue?
For reasons I’m not too sure of, many people think that what I right here resemble sermons and consequently that makes me a pastor, or something. I really don’t understand that sentiment. I made it quite clear in my first post on this blog that I would be writing on various issues from my heart and mind’s perspective.
Pardon my sense of continuity but I had to settle that, because today’s issue might look as if I’m preaching. But I’m not. Okay, I was doing something quite random yesterday and a name was impressed on my heart. Ahijah. Now, I’m quite familiar with that name. I scanned through the recesses of my mind and I remembered that in the Bible, this was the prophet that told a man called Jeroboam, that he (Jeroboam) was eventually going to rule over ten out twelve Israel tribes. Then, an impression was made in my mind. The meaning of Ahijah. For those that do not know, in Biblical times, the interpretation of an individual’s name went a long way in determining his character. For example, Simon (Peter) means ‘reed’, a very weak, easily swayed plant. This was evident in his unstable character during Jesus’ Earthly ministry.
The name Ahijah, means ‘God is my Brother’. Isn’t that awesome. I made another mental scan to find out other individuals who made this seemingly ‘boastful’ claim in the Old testament (in the New testament, Jesus called the doers of His Words, His brothers; Paul also called us joint-heirs with Christ). Father Abraham was called the friend of God, the Great David qualified to be a man after God’s heart. But Ahijah. He called God his Brother.
To me, I am fully convinced that the man Ahijah didn’t just bear the name for the fun of it. No. He was an embodiment of the name both in character and in deeds. How many of us would take a new suit and tear it into pieces, just to explain God’s point to somebody. This guy’s relationship with God was so tight. Even when the man Ahijah was so old and blind, he could not be deceived by the very same test that Isaac failed miserably. I really can’t tell you all you have to know about this man Ahijah. Maybe in your free time, you should check 1 Kings 11 & 14.
I didn’t plan for this article to be this long, but I won’t be satisfied if I didn’t say this: I’m not asking you to change your name to Ahijah so that your character would be like his. Afterall, Jabez, who probably had the worst name anybody could dream to have, didn’t change his name before God changed his story. What I’m really concerned about is how we all get our relationship with God to be so tight that we can boldly unequivocally call God our brother too.
God is yearning for people to have a deep, real-life family-like relationship with Him. But apparently, many people are afraid to draw near to God because of what He might tell them to do. Always remember this: God loves you and He has your best interest in mind. Why not draw nearer to Him, so He’d do the same with you?
Selah!
