Called by your own name

 I recently attended a gathering with many people and remembered only a few faces and fewer by name. Memories fade and appearances change with passing years, but some people’s names are never forgotten. The people’s names which we remember most clearly are the ones with whom we have the closer relationships. They know what the name means, why we are valued and what we value. We may be surprised when out of a sea of people, another person recognizes our face and perhaps remembers our name. Have you ever looked around to see a mass of people who were strangers? Did you feel alone? This is not the place of a child of God. To Him every person is precious and everyone matters. The Lord said to the prophet Isaiah, “Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.” Isa. 49:16 (ESV) Astounding! "Engraved." Cannot be taken off. Your name is on God’s hand. This is the same image as the Ten Commandments; instructions which did not change, but were engraved or etched in a most permanent medium, stone. Have you ever considered that individually, you have as much value to God as 99 other people? What else could Jesus have meant, “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?” Lk. 15:4 (ESV) We are of so much value that He chose to live within us via the Holy Spirit. Paul described God’s acceptance of the Corinthians as, “and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” 2Cor. 1:22 (ESV). Additionally, "God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,  even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—  and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Eph. 2:4-7 (ESV). So, children of God are completely and continuously cleansed because of Jesus, known by God and have their eternal future sealed with a promise. Until the promise is revealed, the Holy Spirit is as close as any other can be and will provide as much guidance as we are willing to accept. In the mass confusion of people and activities, we are never alone; we always have a helper beside us.