The One Who Calls You By Name

We had a new lady join us in Sunday School Class this weekend.  Her name is Sy.  She is an articulate, strong and quick-to-smile, kind of lady.

She also experiences significant respiratory challenges and walks around pulling a breathing apparatus.  She is on a waiting list for a double lung transplant.

Since I just met Sy, I know very little about her background, but she has had a very difficult life.  She was raped as a teen and made the decision to carry her baby to term.   She raised the baby as a single mom.

I don’t know what Sy has faced physically which precipitated the need for the lung transplant, but here she is . . . struggling physically and financially as she searches for the means by which to underwrite the ensuing medical costs.

Sy is the first person I thought of when I read this recent blog post from Joni Eareckson Tada:

In dark times, it is tempting to wonder if God really is “with” you in your pain and anguish. You assume you are just a nameless face in a numberless flood of His followers. But in Isaiah 45:3 God says, “I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness – secret riches. I will do this so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name.” That God knows your name is His seal of intimacy on you. Not only does He know your name, the Bible says he understands all your thoughts and has collected every tear you have ever cried in a bottle – amazing; he records the reason behind each of your tears in his book! That is how personally God knows you. Listen to the song in the video below and let it remind you how very precious you are to God.

I am also anxious to share this video with Sy. . . to remind her that He will give her treasures hidden in the darkness and that the one who calls her by name, understands her every thought and collects every tear.

I imagine there are many who would appreciate such a reminder.

P.S Please feel free to encourage your listeners by sharing the blog post/video on your social media platforms.  And, if you’re not airing Joni’s daily radio features, contact me to add them to your schedule in time for the holidays!