Contact Me

If you enjoy my blog and would like to contact me, you may reach me at this email: dena.netherton@gmail.com

Some of my stories are published in:
A Cup of Comfort Devotional for Mothers and Daughters (Adams Media, 2009)
Chicken Soup: What I Learned from the Dog (2009)
Love is a Flame (Bethany House, 2010)
Extraordinary answers to Prayer (Guideposts, 2010)
Love is a Verb (Bethany House, 2011)
Big Dreams from Small Spaces (Group Publishing, 2012)

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Does God Know Your Name?

We're expecting our third grandchild any day now, a boy.
Our son and daughter-in-law will call him Roen.
What a great name.

Yesterday, Bruce and I were taking a drive and Bruce said, "I'll have to remember to bring photos of Ryan when I go visit your mom and dad in California."
I chuckled. "Ryan?"
"Oh, I mean Roen."
Bruce is a bright and talented man, but he does have a tendency to fumble with names.
For years I've stood by his side at social gatherings, as a faithful helpmeet, and murmured names to him when people approach to talk to him.
But now that I'm older I'm not much help anymore. I just shrug and and say,
"That's my first cousin, but darned if I can remember her name!"

We all flub names. I used to laugh when my mother would have to recite all five of her children's names before she got to the right one.
But when my three kids came along, everyone's name became, "IanGarrettKiri."
They all responded and then I'd dismiss the two that I didn't want.
I imagine the day will come when little Roen will visit, and we'll both be calling, "Ryan, er Rusty, er Ross, I mean Rheinhold. Ach! Hey you!"

But God never fumbles with names. Whether it's Sue, or Bob, or Dena, or Rumpelstiltskin, your name sits comfortably on His tongue.
He knows you completely.
Unlike earthly parents (and grandparents) He doesn't make mistakes.
When He calls you, it's you He's calling.
He'll never say, "Oh, never mind, I didn't want you."

Your name is precious to God.

"He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out." (John 10:3)

2 comments:

  1. Thank you for the reminder of how precious we are to Him.
    I am waiting for the arrival of my second grandchild, another girl, on Nov. 7th. She does not have a name yet, hopefully she won't end up like her daddy. Her father came two weeks early and did not have a name until he was three days old. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I remember how we'd chosen my daughter's name, Kiri, months before she was born.But when she arrived, she didn't seem like a Kiri. It took a few years for the girl to seem like her name. I sometimes think we should have named her "Lion" or something else strong and courageous.

    ReplyDelete