He Knows Your Name 祂知你名
Dexu Xia
I have summoned you by name; you are mine. Isaiah 43:1
After breaking with our longtime church, my husband and I reunited with the fellowship after three long years. But how would people treat us? Would they welcome us back? Love us? Forgive us for leaving? We got our answer on a sunny Sunday morning. As we walked through the big church doors, we kept hearing our names. “Pat! Dan! It’s so great to see you!” As children’s author Kate DiCamillo wrote in one of her popular books, “Reader, nothing is sweeter in this sad world than the sound of someone you love calling your name.”
The same assurance was true for the people of Israel. We had chosen a different church for a time, but they had turned their backs on God. Yet He welcomed them back. He sent the prophet Isaiah to assure them, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine” (Isaiah 43:1).
In this world—where we can feel unseen, unappreciated, and even unknown—be assured that God knows each of us by name. “You are precious and honored in my sight,” He promises (v. 4). “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you” (v. 2). This promise isn’t just for Israel. Jesus ransomed His life for us. He knows our names. Why? In love, we are His.
Why does God welcome His people back to Him? How has He shown that He knows you by name?
Jesus, when I stray from Your arms and Your fellowship, summon me home by name. I’m so grateful to be Yours.
我曾提你的名召你，你是属我的。—以赛亚书43章1节
离开长期聚会的教会三年之后，我和丈夫再度参加他们的聚会。但他们会怎么对待我们？会欢迎我们吗？还会爱我们吗？他们会原谅我们的离开吗？在一个晴朗的主日早晨，我们得到答案。从我们跨进教堂的大门开始，就一直听到有人喊我们的名字说：“翠霞！丹尼！看到你们真是太高兴了！”童书作家凯特 · 狄卡密欧（Kate DiCamillo）在她的一本畅销书中写道：“读者，在这个悲伤的世上，没有什么比某个你爱的人，呼唤你名字的声音，还要更甜蜜了。”
对以色列百姓而言，也确实如此。我们只是有一段时间选择去另一间教会聚会，但他们却是背弃上帝。然而，上帝仍欢迎他们回转。祂差遣先知以赛亚向他们保证：“你不要害怕！因为我救赎了你。我曾提你的名召你，你是属我的。”（以赛亚书43章1节）
在这世上，我们会觉得不受重视、不被赞赏，甚至默默无闻，但我们可以确定，上帝按着每个人的名字认识我们。上帝应许我们：“我看你为宝为尊”（4节）；“你从水中经过，我必与你同在；你蹚过江河，水必不漫过你”（2节）。这个应许并不只是赐给以色列人。耶稣用自己的生命赎回我们，祂知道我们的名字。为什么呢？因为在爱中，我们属祂。
为什么上帝欢迎祂的子民回转归向祂？
祂如何让你知道，祂按着你的名字认识你？
耶稣，当我偏离祢的双臂和同在时，
求祢提我的名召我归向祢。
我满心感谢，因我属于祢。