I had just finished attending a prayer meeting for an upcoming men's event being held at our church. As everyone was leaving and socializing, I had struck up a conversation with another gentleman about the upcoming event. As we were walking out the door, the man with whom I was conversing asked my name. I replied with my usual off handed response of "Just call me Mark or Gus. It doesn't matter." The man stopped me and said that God had told him that my name was not accident but intentionally given. We said goodnight and went our separate ways. I, however, left with a clue; an insight into my identity. "Who am I?" This is one of the biggest questions a person can ask. It is the search for the definition of self. And it is a question to which many never find and answer.
So who is this "Mark," and what does my name have to do with who I am. After all, I could have just as easily have been named George or Kevin. Well it turns out that the name Mark is derived from the latin word 'Marcus' or Mars, the Roman god of war.
As a person of average height and who has cultivated a healthy midsection over the years, anyone would be hard pressed to see anything remotely resembling a warrior. Even the Air Force refused to take me because of asthma. There must be some mistake. My brother is the warrior. After all he flies Apache Helicopters for the Army.
Shortly after my discovery of the etymology of my name, God impressed on me that my brother Kevin and I were more than just brothers by birth. He showed me that we were brothers in the truest sense of the word. He showed me that we shared a common core; we were both warriors.
God sees us in the spirit as he is a spirit himself. Our spirit is is the foundation of who we are. It's what our soul, our thoughts and emotions, is built upon. And just as with any building, the foundation determines what the rest of the structure will look like.
This is but the beginning. Over the coming weeks I will continue to share more of the story and my passion.
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