Journal Entry

Welcoming Rhema Rose

We are so excited to welcome our new baby girl, Rhema Rose, into our budding family this Christmas! Just as with our first baby, Josiah Brighton (now three and a half years old), we prayerfully sought the Lord for just the right name to suit His plan and purpose for this little one’s life. 

After bouncing name ideas back and forth with my mother-in-law for days and weeks, we found nothing that resonated with our family at all. My husband didn’t rush to participate in our discussions but he was listening. Then all of a sudden, one evening after he came home from work, he stopped us dead in our tracks when he looked at us and uttered, Rhema. 

By the looks on each of our faces, we all instantly knew that we all instantly knew—Rhema was going to be the name (You can find the meaning described below). Even Josiah began referring to the baby as Rhema right away. It was only a few minutes of awe and wonder before us ladies began tossing around middle name ideas to match the depth and width and resonance of the name Rhema. Then Josiah blurted out, Rose, and the Lord bought to remembrance Isaiah 35:1-2:

The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.

It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God.

This especially spoke to me because of the miscarriage Christ walked us through during Christmas week last year. The miracle that our blossoming Rose is due the exact same time this year has us all rejoicing with joy and singing at the glory and excellency of our God. 

Though many may not recognize the Greek term Rhema (pronounced Ray-mah), I am excited for opportunities like this one to explain what it means and where it comes from, and hopefully someday our baby girl will be, too! 

Rhema is a term used 70 times in the original writing of the New Testament. Along with the term Logos, it describes God’s Word. 

While Logos refers to the total inspired Word of God, and to Jesus, who is the living Logos, Rhema refers to the specific and personal spoken Word of God. Jesus illustrates this in the book of Matthew when He says:

Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word [rhema] that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Matthew 4:4

In the book of John, Jesus also says, It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words [rhema] that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. John 6:63

Hence, Rhema can also be defined as the faith-increasing moment between a believer and the Holy Spirit, when the believer is quickened by personally and presently hearing the still, small voice of God speaking to them. 

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word [rhema] of God. Romans 10:17

This may occur in many different ways such as during earnest Bible study when the Spirit of God illuminates a specific portion of scripture to answer prayer, offer correction, reproof, instruction, etc. Many times, the Holy Spirit will also bring specifically applicable scripture(s) to remembrance just at the right time (As He did with the reference to Isaiah 35:1-2 noted above). If you have never experienced this, I would say the prerequisite is absolute surrender. Be still, and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10). Put away all preconceived notions and carnal limitations (Proverbs 3:5-5), and simply believe (Luke 18:17) that with God, all things are possible (Matthew 19:26, Mark 10:27):

And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13

I have heard it said that life on earth is one big spiritual gymnasium preparing believers for what is to come afterwards. To that, I would add that the Holy Spirit sanctifies and strengthens our core by the power of His Rhema throughout our journey. 

All in all, His Rhema is the means by which we are transformed from the inside out. It is the very inspiration, or life-giving breath, of God. 

That he (Christ) might sanctify and cleanse it (the church) with the washing of water by the word (Rhema), That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. Ephesians 5:26-27

May our precious Rhema Rose always remind us of these blessed truths.