My Name

When a couple is expecting a baby, they will sit for hours looking through books of baby names, trying to select just the right one. Many times this process can be contentious and cause rather heated disagreements, but the dad usually gives in. Who wants to argue with a pregnant woman?

Names go through popularity cycles. Names that were popular in the 1950’s and 60’s are eschewed now for names that are so much cooler. Come on! Who’d want to be named Kim when they could have a name like Alexis or Madison. It’s rather refreshing when a baby is given an family name or Biblical name rather than a trendy “new” name. The old family name may seem a little out of place in our current culture, but it has a sentimental meaning to it. It brings to mind the family member for whom the child was named, perpetuating the family legacy.

A name is that by which a person is marked and known and is an identifier or a label that sets individuals apart. Besides designating persons, the name might also stand for fame, renown, reputation, character gained or expressed. In Biblical times, people believed that there was a connection between the name and the person it identified. The name could reflect the nature of the individual, the circumstances surrounding the birth, the parents’ gratitude to God for this precious gift.

A few weeks ago I was surfing ministry sites on the internet and ran across a devotional that suggested that I look up the meaning of my name and then research the scriptures and find a verse or verses that used that meaning. I would then have a “name scripture”. Sounded like an interesting little project. I was a little disappointed when I looked up the meaning of my name. It wasn’t nearly as splendid or as interesting as I would have liked it to be. I looked up the names of a lot of my friends, and they have much more “Christian” or Biblical meanings to their names, and I started feeling a little sorry for myself … until the song “He Knows My Name” came to mind.

In the late 50’s and early 60’s, Kim was a very popular name, so there are lots of Kims around my age. When someone calls out the name “Kim” in a room full of people, several of us turn to answer the summons. But when God calls my name, I am the only one who hears and is capable of responding to His Call. Even though He calls Kim, He is speaking directly to my heart and no one elses. There is no mistaken identity. There is no confusion among the rest of the Kims in the room … My name is unique between God and me.

God knows my name. He knows yours. And when He calls my name, even though there may be a million Kims in the world, I have no doubt that He knows exactly which Kim He’s calling. He knows how many hairs are on my head. He knew me before I was formed in my mother’s womb. He knows me intimately, and better than I know myself. He ought to; He’s The Creator! How beautiful my name sounds on the lips of the Almighty! He loves me more than I could ever comprehend.