It is the first day of Spring in the year of the Lord 2012 and as Spring assures in life, so has the Lord assured in my family’s life, the gift of another life that we have named Ittai Aidan Paul.
The name Ittai comes from the Biblical character, Ittai the Gittite, who swore loyalty to be alongside king David, demonstrating faith and faithfulness, in life or in death, even though he was a Philistine from the land of Gath. Goliath the Gittite was a giant by physical stature, while Ittai the Gittite was a giant in spiritual stature. In Hebrew, Ittai means “the Lord is with me”.
The name Aidan was chosen after the Irish missionary, Saint Aidan of Lindisfarne, who is purportedly the Apostle of the English. Aidan is the Anglicised form of the original Old Irish Aodhán which in Gaelic means ‘Fire’ and he is attributed to being the monk holding a flaming torch. A Christian missionary to the English, Aidan is credited for restoring Christianity to Northumbria (which is now NE England and SE Scotland) in the 7th Century. The Venerable Bede, the scholar and historian as well as another 7th century Northumbrian monk, wrote of Aidan: “He neither sought nor loved anything of this world, but delighted in distributing immediately to the poor whatever was given him by kings or rich men. (Legend has it that he gave away the horse which was gifted to him by King Oswald to a passing beggar, because he felt that it would prevent him from talking to the ordinary people.) He traversed both town and country on foot, never on horseback, unless compelled by some urgent necessity. Wherever on his way he saw any, either rich or poor, he invited them, if pagans, to embrace the mystery of the faith; or if they were believers, he sought to strengthen them in their faith and stir them up by words and actions to alms and good works.”
Now as Sangeetha, Reuben and I celebrate the birth our second son, Ittai Aidan Paul, our prayer is that He grows up to be loyal to Jesus Christ, his giver, in life or in death, always holding the Fire of the Holy Spirit high, proving to the world that “The LORD” indeed is with him, and that his acts of good works would be seen by those around him and they may glorify God the Father, who is in heaven.
2 Samuel 15:19-21 (KJV)
19 Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, Wherefore goest thou also with us? return to thy place, and abide with the king: for thou art a stranger, and also an exile.
20 Whereas thou camest but yesterday, should I this day make thee go up and down with us? seeing I go whither I may, return thou, and take back thy brethren: mercy and truth be with thee.
21 And Ittai answered the king, and said, As the LORD liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be.
Reference: for Aidan: The Independent; April 23, 2008
