For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6 (NLT)
Nicknames have been a mainstay of life for centuries. Nicknames generally indicate something about the personality or physical characteristics of the person for which the name is given. For example, during a brief period in high school, my nickname was Frisbee. I was named that because of my particular hairstyle. Basically, my hair was brushed and hair-sprayed into place such that the bangs swooped out from my forehead and circled back again. This looked, to some, like a round Frisbee disc was sticking out of my head. Hence the name. I also had a friend whose nickname was Shrimp. He didn’t like it. But he was the smallest guy in our class (only about five feet tall). His nickname ended his senior year when he grew a foot over the summer. Of course, these nicknames have a somewhat negative bent to them. In reality, oftentimes the nicknames point out a positive quality of the individual.
In the Bible, and throughout history, God has been given, and given Himself, many nicknames. Our verse today from the prophet Isaiah states several nicknames for Jesus – who wouldn’t be born for a few hundred years. He writes, “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Let’s break these down to discover some amazing traits about Jesus. He will be the Wonderful Counselor. He will always give great advice and is constantly there to listen. He is the Mighty God, the Creator of the earth, the ruler of the universe, and the warrior who defeated sin. He is the Everlasting Father, part of the godhead which never ends. He is immortal. And, He is the Prince of Peace, giving us calm in the storms of life and the hope of a new life in Heaven.
So, if you were a writer, what nicknames would you give to Jesus? Of course, so many have been taken: Savior, Messiah, Christ, Healer, and so on. However, what personal nickname(s) would you give to our God? Spend some time thinking about it and come up with some good ones. And, if you’re not too shy, share them.
To listen to this Daily Dose episode, go the the Podcasts Page and click on your favorite podcast platform.
ChadReisig.org 