Judah Paul Kirk

6lbs, 12 ozs, 21 inches long. Born on August 27th @ 6:09 AM.

And he shall be called, "Judah Paul Kirk". 

Just so you know how we came to the agonizing conclusion to name him Judah, here's the story:

We've been praying the last several weeks that God would guide us in choosing a name for our boy. My fav was Ezra, and Erica's was Levi. 3 weeks ago on a Thursday night, we once again prayed and asked God to guide us in choosing a name. The next day, Friday, I was reading through the Biblical account of Israel's blessing on his 12 sons. I read Levi because Erica liked that name, and then I came across Judah. I remembered that Judah was the name I wanted for Isabelle if she had been a boy, and I recalled how much I liked it. Here's what I read in Genesis 49:

"Judah, your brothers will praise you;

your hand will be on the neck of your enemies;

your father's sons will bow down to you.
9 You are a lion's cub, O Judah;

you return from the prey, my son.

Like a lion he crouches and lies down,

like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?
10 The scepter will not depart from Judah,

nor the ruler's staff from between his feet,

until he comes to whom it belongs 

and the obedience of the nations is his.
11 He will tether his donkey to a vine,

his colt to the choicest branch;

he will wash his garments in wine,

his robes in the blood of grapes.
12 His eyes will be darker than wine,

his teeth whiter than milk."

This was the greatest blessing that Israel bestowed on any of his 12 sons in Genesis 49. This intrigued me, because Judah helped sell Joseph into slavery early in life, and then later on we learn he hired a prostitute (who turned out to be his daughter-in-law), so I looked down at the text note for the passage in my "Life Application" study Bible. The text note suggested that perhaps Judah was so richly blessed because of the repentance he had showed in his life. While he had been known for plotting against his brother and exploiting his daughter-in-law, we find him at the end of Genesis protecting his youngest brother Benjamin, and even willing to risk his own life to save Benjamin's. This is a different Judah than the one who sold Joseph into slavery so long ago.

Well, I called Erica at work and told her of my intriguing discovery about the name Judah. I really connected with the whole idea that Judah was blessed because he repented and chose to do what was right. After I shared this with Erica, she said, "well, I just read a blog by Holly Furtick the other day about that name, and it really spoke to me." I checked out the post, and here is what I read:

AUGUST 06, 2009

Judah

I have been reading through Genesis at break neck speed this week and I have really enjoyed it.  Our church staff and some volunteer leaders have embarked on B90X, an extreme Bible reading plan where we will read through the bible in 90 days (more on this next week).

Anyway, one day this week I was reading the story of Rachel and Leah.  If you have never read the account, you can find it in Genesis 29-30.  The basics of the story are that Jacob had two wives, Rachel and Leah (sisters), but he loved Rachel better.  However, Rachel couldn't have children and Leah could.

When Leah's first baby was born, a son, she said "Surely my husband will love me now." (29:32).  When her second son was born she said, "Because the Lord heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too." (29:33).  When her third son was born she said, "Now at last my husband will become attached to me because I have born him three sons." (29:34). 

Finally, when her fourth son was born, she said, "This time I will praise the Lord," and she named him Judah (meaning: to praise).

This just got me thinking.  What is it in my life that I am trying to use to fill a void in my heart when really the solution is simply to praise the Lord?

I hope whatever situation you find yourself in today (maybe a situation you find yourself in day after day) that this time, you will praise the Lord.

Now Erica and I have been through a lot spiritually since moving to Michigan. This pregnancy has especially been difficult for Erica, knowing that she cannot share this joy with our family as intimately as we might hope. After reading the post about Judah, we both knew that we didn't want to mourn our family's distance so much that it stole the joy of this new life God was blessing us with. I told Erica that I wanted to name him Judah because I just want to be thankful and praise God for our son and everything else He's given us.

Erica agreed, but was still not 100% about the name. Then she remembered something that was pretty cool. She said, "Aron, it's just like your dream. He's a lion's cub!" Right after I quit drinking and started walking with God again back in 2003, I had a very significant dream that I vividly remember to this day:

In the dream, Erica and I were walking down a very wide, distinct path in a dark, dense woods that slowly cirlced to the left so you couldn't see the destination of where you were heading. All of a sudden, a bunch of wolves burst out of the woods behind us. I yelled to Erica, run! We were sprinting and the wolves were at our heels. They began to overtake us, but, to our amazement, they just kept on running! They passed us completely. It seems wherever we were heading, they were going too, and they wanted to get there before us.

Erica and I kept running, and soon the turning path ended into a giant clearing of thick, lush grass. As we came to the edge of the clearing, we stopped and stared as the wolves rushed past us to a figure in the middle of the clearing. He was a tall man, dressed completely in white, with long white hair and a long white beard, holding a white staff. The wolves ran up to him, but he dwarfed their size. They surrounded him, jumping and biting at his face, though they were too small and only came about up to his waist. The man just stood there--still, calm, his eyes fixed on mine. After a few moments, in one swift movement, he held his staff above his head and as he yelled the words "No! I need a lion!" He brought his staff down and slammed the point into the ground. All of the wolves around him were knocked motionless to the ground as a great shock -wave came from the staff.

In the stillness after the blow from his staff, the white man stood again--straight, still, calm, and again his eyes looking into mine. All of a sudden, I had the feeling of a great presence--strong, powerful, wise, true-- all around me. Finally I broke away from the man in white's gaze and looked to my right and left. All around me were giant lions, their backs coming up to my shoulders and their heads as big as an elephant's. I looked back at the man in white, and it was implied that I was to join the ranks of these lions. He needed a lion, and I was the lion he needed. 

Then the dream ended and I woke up immediately.

Part of Judah's blessing in Genesis 49:9 says, "you are a lion's cub, O Judah." That is what Erica was referring to when she said, "Aron, it's just like your dream. He's a lion's cub!" Now, most of the time I don't feel like some great lion for Jesus, but more than anything I want to be. And more than anything I want to pass on that wild love of God to my son.

So, although we were incredibly indecisive for the last few weeks, in the end we decided to go with the most meaningful name. Since we made the official decision, I've been convinced that God truly answered our prayer and guided us in choosing a name we will grow to love. And so, as the meaning of the name implies, we praise God for his goodness, for our son, and for answering our prayers. 

APK