ElShaddai Edwards writes Yes, that’s really my name…, with some interesting reflections on what it is like to live with a name of God as one’s first name. He seems daunted by the special responsibility this gives him.

I can understand a little of what ElShaddai means. I was given the name of the leader of the apostles (although perhaps more because it was a traditional name in my father’s family), which is well known to mean “rock”. And my surname effectively means “the Lord’s”; “kirk” is northern English dialect for “church”, from Greek kuriakos “belonging to the lord”. So I feel the responsibility to be the Lord’s rock in all that I say or do, especially in Christian ministry, and on this blog which I consider to be part of that ministry.

ElShaddai is right to quote

The warning that “not many should become teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive a stricter judgment” (James 3:1, HCSB) …

But this applies to all of us in Christian ministry, not just to him, not even especially to him. None of us can be confident in ourselves that what we do will not “be tragically misused for [our] personal gain and selfish heart”; we have to continue to walk with Christ and trust him to keep our hearts on the right path. And we all know times when we have failed, and need to repent and be restored. But the awareness ElShaddai has of his own weakness is perhaps the best safeguard he can have that he can succeed in Christian ministry. I too am aware of many times when I have failed and of my continuing weakness. I hope and pray that I may continue to have this awareness, but I won’t let it stop me moving on into whatever ministry God is calling me to.