I have what some may call an unusual name: Halcyon Bjornstad. Our names are an important part of who we are. Names are the way that people get our attention and address us. When someone uses your name, you feel seen. Your name is personal to you and important for those around you to know.
Names are important in the Bible too. God calls out to people by name. Throughout the gospels, Jesus calls by name even the people he seemingly shouldn’t have known by name. We remember just how important names, including “child of God,” are in baptism when we are claimed and reminded that we belong to God.
Isaiah 43:1 states: “But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, … for I have called you by name, you are mine.”
The next time you hear your name, remind yourself of these words from Isaiah. You are God’s.
This message is an excerpt from “Called by name” by Halcyon Bjornstad in the December 2020 issue of Gather magazine.
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