Name

Name

He counts the stars and calls them all by name.

AS A YOUNG ADULT I worked as a leader in the youth group at my church. I loved meeting the youth and spending time with them every week. There was one teen girl I got to know well over the years who came to church with her mom and siblings. I found out that her dad was not involved in her life at all, and even though she did not complain, I could tell this was a point of pain in her life. Especially when she was at church and surrounded by dads who were very involved in their kids’ lives.

One year as her birthday approached, I decided to give her a Bible. She had mentioned that she liked the version I owned, and so I planned to give her a similar Bible. One Wednesday night as we prayed together at the end of the night, I felt impressed to tell her that God knew her name. That she was not forgotten. That even if her earthly father was not present, her heavenly Father was and he loved her. We both sat on the floor in tears as the truth of God’s love flooded both of us.

Days later, as I wrote out a card and included a personal note in the Bible I planned to give her, I included the words of Psalm 147:4, a reminder once again that God knew her by name. When I gave her the Bible, both our eyes filled with tears once again. God’s love was evident to her, even as she carried pain over the absence of her earthly father.

There are times in life where we can feel forgotten or left out by others. Relationships sometimes will leave us with unmet desires to be seen or heard. But not with God. He counts the stars and calls them by name. And how much more precious are we? Even if people on earth disregard us, God will not. He knows your name. You are precious to him. You are seen. You matter.

Lord, thank you for caring so much for each one of us and for knowing us all by name. Amen.

-Kendra

One Good Step: How has God shown you that he has not forgotten you? How can you show someone else today that they are seen and matter?