My given name ends with “Jr.” I was named for my dad, by my dad. He hoped and prayed that I would grow to be a good man. My dad knew me, named me, and nurtured me. He also called me “Bo.” It’s a nickname; my dad was a nickname kind of guy. My nickname came from a clown doll I carried as a baby. With that nickname came the responsibility to bring laughter into the world. And I believe we need more laughter in our world.

In today’s reading, the Lord speaks to Hosea and gives a name to each of Hosea’s children. Their names serve as specific prophetic warnings to the house of Israel, each with a special and specific meaning. God knows these children, names them, and nurtures them in the midst of a desperate situation. Each name carries meaning in any attempt to restore Israel to the covenant with God. These children, their names, mean something significant to God and to Hosea and Gomer.

What does your name mean? What is its significance? Perhaps you are named after someone significant in your family’s story. Perhaps you are named after a specific place or a significant event. Perhaps your name reflects your parents’ hope for your future—the type of person you may become or the life you may live. Hosea’s children are named as warnings from God about the future Hosea’s people can expect if they do not return to their covenant with God.

Despite the harsh warnings of Hosea and Gomer’s children’s names, God renews the covenant: “It shall be said to them, ‘Children of the living God.’” This week we will read about God’s continued faithfulness in restoring our covenant relationship.