Called by Name
There’s a line in Isaiah, that’s followed me through every season of my life. Through loss, motherhood, healing, and the slow unlearning of who I thought I had to be.
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.”
It’s one of those verses I’ve read a hundred times, but lately, I’ve been reading it slower. Not like a verse to memorize, but more like a whisper to remember.
There’s something sacred about being called by name.
Not “hey, you.” Not “you there.” But your name. The one that carries your story, your heart. Your exact sound in his mouth.
We live in a world that labels everything. It’ll call you anxious, too much, dramatic, strong, sensitive, lazy, gifted, a thousand things that never quite fit. But God? He doesn’t call you by what you’ve done. He calls you by who you are to him.
He says Mine.
I think sometimes, we forget how personal his love really is. We forget that faith isn’t a crowd, it’s a conversation. We forget that Jesus doesn’t just call people - He calls you. He speaks your name like someone who’s been waiting for you to look up.
Maybe you’ve been wandering, or hiding, or wondering if you even matter to him anymore. Hear this - You do. You always did.
When the shepherd calls, it’s not to scold the sheep who strayed, it’s to lead them home. You don’t have to earn his voice; you just have to listen for it.
And when you hear it, when you feel that tug deep in your chest that says, this is for me, that’s Him. That’s love moving toward you. You are called by name; you are wanted on purpose, and you are still his.
Let’s sit at the well for a minute.
Jesus,
Thank you for knowing me, not as the world names me, but as you do - beloved, redeemed, yours. Quiet the noise that tells me otherwise. Remind me that you never forget a name, never lose track of a soul, and never stop calling us closer. Let my heart answer when you speak.
Amen.
