12th January 2025

HELLO ALL,

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU!

What’s in a name? Why are they important? Do you know what your name means?

Names are funny things and very personal. Some people really suit their names and others as they grow up, actively dislike the name they were given at birth. As we get older, we acquire nicknames –( some of which stick, so no-one remembers what your actual name is!) and our given names get lengthened or shortened by different groups of people. How have we felt when there is someone with the same name as us at school or work, do we think that people will muddle us up? Our name makes up a huge part of our identity and when we return somewhere after 1 visit, it makes us feel very welcome when people actually remember our name (then we start to worry as to why that is!). If our name is remembered it makes us feel that we have been seen and that we belong, and how upset do we feel when we are called the wrong name?

 

In Genesis (2:18-20) we are told that as God made the animals and birds, He brought them to Adam to be named. In doing so, God made Adam accept the responsibility of looking after them. Think back to when you were a child with a new soft toy or a pet – how long did you spend thinking of the right name for them and thereby taking ownership? An even harder decision when it comes to naming your own children and the compromises that may be made, as it’s a decision made by 2 of you!  When someone uses your name, it makes you feel that have noticed you, they have seen you – and if we are honest, isn’t that what we want? For people to actually see us for who we really are?

One of the Bible Readings for this Sunday is from Isaiah 43: 1-4 and it says this (The Message version)

“God says ‘Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you.

I’ve called your name. You’re mine.

When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you.

When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down.

When you’re between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end-

Because I am your God, your personal God.”

How comforting is that – to have it spelled out for us that God sees us (maybe that’s a little unsettling!), God knows us personally and individually? He knows our name … and not just knows it but calls it and calls us to Him, calls us to belong, to follow the path that He has laid out for us. However hard that path may seem, God says that He will be with us, giving us the strength, courage and determination to go on – He will keep calling our name , all we have to do is listen and be willing to be one of God’s people.

Fiona