But whoever loves God is known by God. (1 Cor. 8:3)
After a syndicated columnist printed a letter about businesses getting customers’ names wrong, she was flooded by letters from people with similar complaints. Understandably, getting our names wrong is a problem that touches a nerve in our consumer psyches.
Consider the case of Mr. and Mrs. Solomon, who helpfully suggested to a clerk that their name was easy to remember—it was “just like the king.” Imagine their frustration when their mail came addressed to “Mr. and Mrs. King.”
Or a lady named Andrea Guastadisegni, who took pains to preface her order by saying, “Please write small. My name is long.” Then she spelled it, slowly and carefully. Her invoice was addressed to—you guessed it—“Andrea Long.”
The God who named our first parents in Eden knows our names too. He’s known us since he formed us in the womb. He knows our strengths and weaknesses, our gifts and graces, our hopes and fears. Just as he did for the exiles in Jeremiah’s day, he knows the plans he has for us—plans to prosper us and not to harm us, plans to give us hope and a future.
Those who know God know what it means to be known by God. Those who know God have a burning desire to make him known to others.
Make sure your name is written in his book.
Bob Black is an emeritus professor of religion at Southern Wesleyan University. Along with Keith Drury, he coauthored the denominational history, The Story of The Wesleyan Church.
© 2022 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
