May 21, 2024 / Reclaim and Renew

Hey, Calvary Fremont –

Streets that change names can be confusing. I live near Ardenwood Boulevard in Fremont which becomes Newark Blvd. as you go south into Newark. As you drive north, it becomes Union City Blvd. in Union City; which then becomes Hesperian Blvd. in Hayward; which then becomes Bancroft Ave. in San Leandro. Five cities, five names, one street. I guess the principle is that whoever owns the street gets to name the street. And this is true in the Bible, too.

Abram belonged to God and God chose to change his name from Abram to Abraham. This is a fairly simple affair. God just inserted the 5th letter of the Hebrew alphabet, He (pronounced ‘hay’), into the middle of Abram’s name and changed it to Abraham. Abram goes from being ‘exalted father’ to Abraham, ‘father of many nations.’ The number five in Biblical numerology represents grace. The grace of God touched Abram’s life and totally reconfigured his future.

The same thing happened to his wife Sarai, which means ‘my princess.’ By inserting the letter He into her name, she becomes Sarah, which also means ‘princess,’ but on a wider scale. Abraham was the father of many nations and Sarah was the princess of many nations. Grace widened and expanded the potentialities of her life as well. By grace, Abraham and Sarah became much more than what they could become by nature.

All of you who name the name of Jesus have had the grace of God through Jesus Christ downloaded into the DNA of your soul. Nature has made you one way and the grace that comes to you in your spiritual rebirth will remake you and lift you above the limitations of your natural birth. According to Isaiah 61:1-3, Brokenhearted Boulevard is renamed Healing Haven. Captive Cul de Sac becomes Liberty Lane. Prisoner Terrace becomes Freedom Freeway. Ash Way becomes Garland Road and Fainting Tollway becomes Praise Highway. Grace glorifies and dignifies all it touches.

The Fremont City Council said to Newark Boulevard, “You’re on our turf now, and we will rename you Ardenwood Boulevard.” The Union City City Council said to Ardenwood Boulevard, “You’re on our turf now, and we will rename you Union City Boulevard. The Hayward City Council said to Union City Boulevard, “You’re on our turf now, and we will rename you Hesperian Boulevard.” God said to Abram and Sarai, “You’re on My turf now, and I’m going to give you new names.” A butterfly is not Caterpillar 2.0. It’s a new creature with new capacities, a new destiny, and a new name! Old things have passed away – new things have come! So with you.

The grace of God renames because it reclaims and renews. Grace glorifies and dignifies all it touches. Grace reconfigures your life and reroutes your destiny. Even as Abraham and Sarah became more than they ever could be by the grace of God, may grace lift you to your glorious destiny.