During the month of April, I’ve chosen to blog through the alphabet. Each day I will use a letter to share a Name of the Lord that begins with that letter based on Proverbs 18:10 and the fact that there is strength in the Lord’s Name. I pray you’ll be blessed and that you’ll stop by often.

“The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.”

Proverbs 18:10 – NIV

Prince

My daughters grew up loving Disney movies. We had a collection of them and they would watch some of them over and over. They weren’t as drawn to the Disney movies where the prince shows up to save the princess, but in our society today, Prince Charming has become an icon.

The problem with a cartoon prince? He isn’t real. He is the conjured up image of a story writer and, I might add, unrealistic in most ways.

Perhaps fantasy characters aren’t horribly bad, but let me tell you about a real Prince. The Prince. The Prince God sent to save you. This Prince is Jesus.

In Scripture, we see at least three meanings for the word prince. It could mean the son of a king. It could mean leader or ruler. Or it could mean king. Any of these definitions could be related to Jesus. So let’s see the name Prince in reference to Jesus.

In Acts 5:30-31 (NIV), Peter addressed the Sanhedrin with these words. “The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead—whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.”

Peter knew that Jesus was the Son of the King, his Ruler and Leader as well as his King. He tied it all up in the name Prince. What a beautiful name to give our Savior!

We also see that Jesus was given this name in the Book of Daniel. Daniel prophesied these words of a time when the antichrist will gain confidence in hopes of defeating Jesus. “He (the antichrist) will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be destroyed but not by human power.” (Daniel 8:25 – NIV) There is a little more to this prophecy, but the ultimate fulfillment will be when the Prince of princes defeats evil forever.

The 21^st Century King James Version translates Revelation 1:4-5 this way, “John, to the seven church in Asia: Grace be unto you and peace from Him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits with are before His throne; and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first-begotten of the dead, and the Prince over the kings of the earth. Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood.”

This verse, in this particular version gives Jesus the name “Prince over the kings of the earth.” Jesus is above all. He is the ultimate Prince. We, with certainty, can look to Him as our forever Prince.

The Prince name you’ll probably recognize most is the name Prince of Peace. Isaiah shared this blessed hope and promise hundreds of years before Jesus was born. Through all the turmoil, captivity, and uncertainty, Israel could hold to the promise of the One who would fill this Name. “And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6 – NIV)

Our earthly definition of peace includes ideas such as the absence of turmoil or conflict. But let me suggest that peace is Jesus’ presence. It’s not the absence of something; it’s the presence of the Prince. When we allow the Prince to sit upon the throne of our hearts, He will bring peace. Oh, the world around you may be in a whirlwind, but within, there will be peace.

Jesus, our Prince, is able to do far more than we could ask or imagine. He is stronger than any earthly force. He is a better ruler than any earthly king. He is mightier than any human power. He is more peaceful than any rolling meadow.

I pray that today you will find your security, your future, your identity in Jesus, our Prince. I pray that you have allowed Him to be the One to rescue you. If not, why not call upon this Name of the Lord and ask Jesus to be the Prince of your life?

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna