The crowded basketball court was brimming with dozens of young men wearing similar jerseys. I was searching for my son, but it was challenging to find him, seemingly camouflaged by his teammates.
“There he is!”
Although I could not see his face, I saw his name on the back of his jersey. Nice! When I was my son’s age, I played on several community baseball teams. While we had smart looking uniforms with numbers, we never had our names on the backs of our jerseys. How special this was for my son and his teammates! One could easily find him in a crowded field of players. Everyone could address him by his name, even if they did not know him.
Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised His eyes, and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me.” When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth.” The man who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”
John 11:40-44 (NASB)
As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, but get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do.” Acts 9:3-6 (NASB)
Jesus called Lazarus by name when He raised him from the dead. Jesus called Saul by name when He appeared before Him and converted him to become one of Christianity’s greatest missionaries. When God enters into a relationship with us, He calls us by our name. Why?
Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands…
Isaiah 49:16 (NASB)
God knows our name even before we are born. God is not an impersonal ethereal being sitting on a cold and distant throne in the heavens. He walked the earth with us. He knows the very hairs on our heads. He has inscribed our name on His Hands. God desires a deeply personal relationship with all of us. He is always calling your name, even if you do not yet know Him.
Are you willing to listen to His invitation?
Love and trust in the Lord; seek His will in your life.
The Bereans Blog 