Names

Isaiah 45: 3

And I will give you the treasures of darkness, and hidden wealth of secret places, in order that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, who calls you by your name.

There is an economy message in this verse and it should give you great comfort for your finances. You should ponder what God is saying about the hidden wealth and buried treasures. That, however, is not what I want to bring out from this scripture today. I wish for us to look just at the last phrase, “who calls you by your name.”

Yahweh is He who has called you by your name. He is the only God. There is none before Him, nor have any come after Him. It is He who has called you. “What, me?,” I can hear some of you saying. Yes, you. If you are a Christian it is because God called you and you had the intelligence to answer. Yea!

You are important in the Kingdom. God knows your name and has called YOU! That one fact ought to stir some joy within you. In an earlier chapter of Isaiah God said, “I have called you by name; you are Mine,” (Isaiah 43: 1). So, by the time we get to chapter 45, He is just reminding you. But wait, these are not the only places either. Way back in Exodus God said, “I have known you by name, and you have also found favor in My sight,” (Exodus 33: 12). Look at the similarities between these verses and I think you will be blessed.

You may say, though, “Well, God wasn’t speaking to me in those verses.” Wasn’t He? If He wasn’t, then why did He have them included in the Bible? This is that dynamic again of a historical record and a living Word. God is still ministering His Word to us today. Have you ever read a scripture and heard it bigger and louder than the surrounding verses? That is God personalizing that verse to you. He is trying to get your attention so that you read it as a personal note to you. That is the way you should read your Bible, as a personal letter from Yahweh God to you.

Before the beginning of time, God saw you and planned for you. He wrote your name down and waited for your day to come. Then He rejoiced when you were born. Thousands of years He waited for this day, the day when He could voice your name it be uniquely yours regardless of the number of people who share it. One other thing though, don’t be surprised if God has another name for you. He has shown a propensity to changing people’s names. Because you are precious in His sight, He calls you names which edify you. You can ask Him what your heavenly name is if you want. One thing I know about it, it will put a smile on your face.

You are His beloved and called to Him. He has called you by name. He has showered you with favor and with His love. The creator of the universe knows your name and has called you to Himself. I think that is a pretty big deal.