He Calls Me By Name!

:-) Today I was reading in Isaiah and I came across a couple of verses that really encouraged me. What a great reminder of God's love for each of us individually and of His wonderful plans for each of our lives!

"I will go before you and make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I, the LORD, who call you by your name, am the God of Israel. For Jacob My servant's sake, and Israel My elect, I have even called you by your name; I have named you, though you have not known Me."                       

                                                                                                      ~Isaiah 45:2-5

For some reason, it just really struck me today that the LORD has named me! He knows my name and He calls me by my name. It is said that a person's name is very important to them. In fact, a man named Dale Carnegie said this: "Remember that a person's name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language." There are even psychological studies that have been done trying to prove why hearing one's own name means so much to them and looking at the effects of being called by name.

I don't know about you, but I can attest to the fact that nothing gets my attention quite like hearing my name. Growing up, if I heard my mother calling me by my full name, I always knew I was in trouble or that I was needed ASAP. Nowadays, I don't hear my full name all that often anymore, but that's because I might have grown up a bit and don't get in trouble as often. :-) I still enjoy hearing my name called though! I know when I'm working at Culvers and a customer uses my name as they talk to me, it makes me feel less like a robot taking orders and more like an individual human being - someone unique and special. Even more so do I feel special when people I know (aka. friends and family) call me by name! Hearing my name when the people I love most in the world are talking to me gives me great joy and reminds me that I am loved and cared for because of who I am. How much more wonderful to think about God, my Heavenly Father, calling me by name! I am reminded that I am His and that He has a plan and a purpose for my life unique to the strengths, character, and personality that He has given me.  How blessed I am to have a God who calls me by name!

I challenge you to remember how special you are today! God has given you a name and is calling you by that name! He has a plan and a purpose for your life! He loves you! He wants you to draw near to Him! He longs for a deeper relationship with you! Shhhh....take a moment to quiet your heart and listen for the Savior's call. He has something He wants to say to you today! :-)