Good morning children of our gloriously wonderful Father in heaven.

Ephesians 3:14-15 NIV For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.

Every family in heaven and on earth derives its name from our Father in heaven. This is a spiritual reality that is so powerful. So, let’s step into the word name for a moment today.

The word name in this passage speaks about the authority and character that comes from that name. It is not simply about letters that make up a word. It is not simply that my name is Steve, nor is it that the name Steve is my greatest identification.

The name derived from our Father in heaven that is imputed to us is the authority and character that comes from who He is! This is what we enter into as ones who are born again by His incorruptible seed! It’s much more than receiving the name Christian.

From Genesis 1, the pattern of God’s intention is that we were created in the image and likeness of God. We are told to ‘be fruitful’ which is all about reproducing the nature of God. We are also told to ‘rule over’ which is all about carrying the authority of God. ‘On earth as it is in heaven’ sums up our privilege and calling so well.

Tomorrow is Christmas Day. This is the time when we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. It truly was a pivotal day in the history of the world. The birth of Jesus was a monumental moment in the restoration of people to the Father in heaven. This was always the goal.

And the way that it was accomplished was through one of the Family of God (Jesus). He came and lived submitted to His Father’s will. He fully carried His authority and He fully expressed His character. And because of these two realities, life still flows to us today!

May our lives mirror the life of Jesus. At this Christmas time, may we display the image of God – on earth as it is in heaven.