Hearing Our Name Spoken Is Powerful!

I’ve heard it said the sweetest sound to our ears is our name. When someone says our name they affirm our individuality and presence.

Hearing our name spoken is powerful!

People experiencing life on the streets can go weeks, even months, without hearing someone speak their name.

On the other hand, I am growing increasingly aware that hearing my name has become a trigger for me.

The other day I was walking down a hallway upstairs at work when I heard someone call my name. It was late in the day and there weren’t really many of my coworkers left in our 26,000 square foot building. Most of our guests had also left nearly an hour ago. Yet, I heard, “Rainer, Rainer, RY—-NER!”

I looked around.

No one.

Then I heard it again. “RY—-NER, Rainer—Rainer…” so I walked the top floor and then the bottom floor. No one.

I was virtually alone in the building except for a couple of people working diligently in the back offices and one of our security staff faithfully patrolling the back parking lot.

Then I was reminded of a similar experience back in February 2021 during Snowmageddon. Late one night, after an 18 hour shift, I was walking from the temporary emergency shelter at the Dallas Convention Center to my hotel room adjacent to where we were housing 1700+ homeless people from the deadly conditions outside.

As I made my way through the connecting hallway, I heard a cacophony of my name “RY—-NER! RY—NER, RY-NER!”

I looked around.

No one.

I believe almost all of Dallas was asleep and I was the last person left awake. So who was calling my name? Was it God?

I was exhausted, running sheerly on adrenaline (and sugar and caffeine). My cortisol levels were likely through the roof.

People had been wearing my name out like a shoestring.

In the Bible, names hold significant meaning and often reflect the character or destiny of an individual. When God calls someone by name, it is an intimate act, signifying a personal relationship and divine recognition.

Think about the encounter of Moses at the burning bush, where God calls out to him, “Moses, Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” (Exodus 3:4) This moment marks the beginning of Moses’s mission to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. It demonstrates how God’s calling by name is both a summoning and an empowerment. It is, indeed, a powerful moment in human history.

Jesus often called individuals by name, signifying transformation and healing. For example, when He called Lazarus from the tomb, saying, “Lazarus, come out!” (John 11:43), it was not merely an act of raising him from the dead but also a profound affirmation of Lazarus’s identity and worth in the eyes of God.

Hearing our names spoken reminds us of our worth in God’s eyes.

In Revelation, a promise is made to believers: “To the one who is victorious, I will give… a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.” (Revelation 2:17) This suggests that in God’s kingdom, our true identity and purpose, represented by our “new name,” will be fully known and celebrated.

Hearing our names spoken reminds us of God’s love for us.

Therefore, being called by our name is deeply meaningful, reflecting God’s personal care and purpose for each of us. It is a reminder that we are not anonymous to our Creator; rather, we are known, loved, and called to a unique purpose.

Praying for us.

Rainer Bantau —The Devotional Guy™