Baby D2 has a real name! Actually, he has had a name for quite a while now. In fact, he was named eight years ago. I took a fancy to his name and the meaning. I wrote in my journal to "my future husband" about it. Years later, when I was pregnant with Bella and we didn't know we were having a girl, Izaak read that entry. The name was the only name we had when we went to the ultra sound where we found out she was a girl. Needless to say, Bella was the wrong child for the name.
Baby D2, however, is the right child. Drum roll, please! His name is...
|
Via Google Images |
Gideon was a biblical judge through whom God gave miraculous victory to the Israelites over the Midianites. He was like you and me in that he was a normal guy with questions, fears, and doubts. Yet, once he had confirmation that he was hearing from God, he led with incredible faith and obedience! He was nothing without God. Yet, God saw what he could be. He sent His angel to him to say, "The Lord is with you, O valiant warrior" (Judges 6:12). His first assignment was to tear down the alter of Baal and the Asherah pole of his father "and build an altar to the Lord your God on the top of this stronghold" (Judges 6:26a). This was such a defining point in his life that his name was changed because of it. Later, God directed him to reduce his army twice. In faith-filled obedience to God; he went from having 32,000 men to 300 men. God wanted it to be known that He had given the victory, not the number of men in their army. After the defeat of their enemies, the Israelites tried to make Gideon their king. He, however, refused saying that God was their king. Israel enjoyed forty years of peace while Gideon was their judge.
He was not perfect. In fact, the Bible records his failings along with his victories. However, he was a valiant warrior who led with incredible faith. God used this man to show His power.
May our son also be valiant, full of faith, and obedient to God. May he be God's warrior to display God's power. May he know that he is a mere man without God and always give the glory to Him. May he be a leader in his generation who tears down strongholds of previous generations. However, may he not (as Gideon did) establish new strongholds. Rather, may he establish alters to God that would last for future generations. May the Lord be ever with him!
His middle names are a tribute to Izaak and I's fathers. Both of those men are a part of our story and thus a part of Gideon's story.
As a tribute to Izaak's father, Tom, he will have Tom's middle name: Vinton. This is a family name that has been passed down for five generations. Gideon will be the sixth generation. We do not know it's meaning. However, we wonder if it is related to Vincent (meaning: conquering) and Vinson (meaning: the conqueror's son).
Gideon will also receive my father's name: Michael. Michael means "who is like the Lord?" May he be a man that ever points people to God has his Grandpa Mike before him has. May he be a strong, gentle, gracious, leader as his Grandpa Mike is.
We haven't decided the order of his middle names, but these will be them.