The Banner of Grace: Dew on the Mountain

            I smile as I remember the announcer of little league basketball making comments about our son.   The announcer would call out the play of my future NBA player.  To our chagrin the announcer would say, “Way to be there for the turnaround play...DEEEWWW Anderson!”

            DEW?  Did we hear him right?  I didn’t know of a Dew.  Actually I was sure the announcer mistakenly called him “Dew.”  We were to find out that his name had actually been misprinted in the team roster.  Over the season the announcers that knew our son as Drew, made the correction, the others called him “Dew.”

            As we have watched the NBA finals this week and I have continued to study Gideon, I was reminded of this comical misread of our son’s name.  The reason we named Drew “Drew” held significance to my husband and I.

Dew on Liberty Mountain, Lynchburg, Virginia

            I reminisced why we had named him Drew.  I thought of the very simple reason, Greg loved the name.  During my pregnancy with Drew, I was studying the book of John and fell in love with the character, Andrew.  Every time He was mentioned he was bringing someone to Jesus. Thus Drew became the verb to remind us that God wants us to “draw” all people to Him.

            As I looked at the familiar passage of Judges 6: 36 – 40, it was pointed out that Gideon literally held God’s response in liquid proof.  Gideon had asked God to send dew.  The first night Gideon prayed for dew on his fleece the next night He prayed for dew on the ground.

            Dew in the Bible consistently represents God’s divine grace and favor.  The dew seems to represent the banner of the parade announcing we have something to look forward to.  Numbers 11:9 “When the dew fell on the camp at night, the manna would fall with it.”

            When the Lord blessed us with our man-child, naming him was based on what we liked.  I think Our Heavenly Father knows our “coming up with a name” is important, but we would be wise to recognize whatever name we choose is only the “Dew” of things to come.  A reflection of God’s favor and His beautiful grace to come.

            CHALLENGE:  Tell your child the story of how you decided on their names.  Find the meaning of their name on a website. Be prepared for God to pour out His favor and grace in and through our children and their lives.

UPDATE:  Our "Dew" has moved on from aspirations of the NBA finals to a couple of seasons with Liberty University's Men's lacrosse.