Isaiah 43:1-3.5 – “But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour…”
In this passage from Isaiah, the key line I want us to reflect on is the one where God says:
‘I have called you by name’.
We know that in the beginning was the Word, and we read in the Psalms that ‘The Lord merely spoke and the heavens were created; He breathed the word, and all the stars were born’ (Psalm 33:6). As the cosmos birthed its first syllable, God revealed a celestial lexicon and called us by name.
What is a name? Well, a name is a cocoon spun of vowels, consonants, and whispered hopes. Within its silken threads, we transform: from innocence to experience, from timidity to courage, from lost to found. Our names are woven across time, and over time we grow into who God has called us to be.
Names are our birthright, but they’re also our legacy; etched upon our fragile skin, a compass pointing toward our destiny. Our names echo throughout our lives, resonating in forgotten places. It’s more than just mere letters and sounds strung together; a name carries stories, memories, and echoes of generations past. Our name clings to the very edges of our souls, and even unto our last breath – and when the final chapter unfolds, our names linger on, ready to leap into eternity with God, because our names are written in the book of life. (Revelation 21:27; 3:5; Philippians 4:3; Luke 10:20 inter alia)
To conclude then, God knows there is power and a purpose in your name because He named you for a reason. Because the God who created you, says “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine.”
