“But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: do not fear for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine.” Isaiah 43:1

Called by Name

What is more important to us than our names? Our names travel with us wherever we go, and it is often the first thing people know about us. We love to see our name in the newspaper, and for some, on the cover of a book. We identify strongly with our name. We can be in a noisy room, and yet can hear someone in the opposite corner mention our name. In close family circles we are often known by nicknames or pet names, and these names can stick with us throughout our lives. In the world of baseball, George Herman Ruth quickly became “the Babe.” It was a sign of deep friendship and intimacy on the part of his teammates, and it soon became a name to be shared with the rest of the world. We resent it when people misspell or mispronounce our names, or call us by a name that denigrates our character. But we are God’s beloved, his chosen ones. He knows us by name, and his internal call reaches deeply into our hearts. And therein lies or true identity.

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