Names

Names are chosen for newborn babies by their parents. On a superficial level, it seems that this choice is made according to the parents' preferences and, therefore, is determined simply by human wisdom. But there is more in the name of an individual than just human thinking. There is a meaning, a calling, a mystery related to the name of a person that is orchestrated by God Himself. Countless Biblical names give proof of such a distinctive relationship between the meaning of a name and the person that bears that name.

Here I am trying to unfold a mystery related to my own name. As this blog reveals my first name is Berno which means "brave like a bear." More interesting I was born on the Swiss National Day. The capitol of Switzerland is Bern. This is an old German term for bear and, therefore, the coat of arms for the city of Bern shows a bear. Of course, my parents had chosen my name before my birth, independent from its date since they did not know exactly when my birthday would be.

In my twenties I moved to the city of Berlin where I then lived for five years. This was a very crucial, forming period of my life regarding God's calling and purpose for me. Looking back, I believe that God brought me to Berlin in order to redirect my life in a way that wouldn't have happened had I stayed in my hometown and the situation there. Is it surprising in this context that the coat of arms of Berlin shows a bear as well?

Years later I married my wife who is from California. The flag of this state also shows a bear.

In short: Different important times / events in my life - birth; shaping of my calling; marriage - were related to the symbol of a bear while this animal is part of the meaning of my name itself. This was in each case not put together by men but ordained by God. It seems He gave my parents the idea for this name, and He reinforced its significance in my life several times.