Trusting Comes From A God Who Knows Us By Name

It’s not who you are or who you’re not, but what you’re doing with what you’ve got.

“Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!”

Matthew 25:21

A long time ago, I started the first rites of initiation into my local Masonic Lodge. Different things got in the way of completing everything, but the time I spent with the men of my community was truly inspiring. As a part of one of the initiations, the group did a trust-building exercise. I was blind-folded, turned around a few times and then told to fall backwards. Of course, I hesitated. “Fall backwards!” I thought. “I’m already blindfolded and dizzy!”

I think that I may have shook my head no because one of the men who sponsored me came over and whispered in my ear, “Troy, do you trust me?” I nodded yes. “Do you really trust me!?” Again I nodded. “If you do then I want you to fall backwards when I call your name!” he sternly whispered. I nodded. It seemed like an eternity passed. Me standing there blindfolded, still a tad bit dizzy, not really knowing what to do but not wanting to do what I was told.

Then I heard my friend shout these words. “You have said you trust me! To show me that trust there is one word I will say. It’s the name that seals our trust. And that word is the name God has christened you with. I say now, Troy!”

I fell backwards off the stage I was standing on.

No hesitation. No second thoughts. There was something about the way my friend said my name that compelled me to trust him. Some hidden understanding that I knew everything would be alright when he said my name. So loudly. So forcefully. Never before had my name had so much meaning. At that one moment just hearing someone call my name meant the whole world to me.

So I fell. Right into the arms of ten other men who caught me with the gentleness of a feather bed.

After it was said and done, my blindfold was taken off and there were hugs and slaps on the back all around. And suddenly, it occurred to me that every man in that room knew who I was. Even though I had never met many of them before, it was an amazing feeling just knowing they knew who I was.

In Genesis 22 we see the last major story about Abraham. It’s when he goes to sacrifice Issac. At the last minute, God calls out Abraham’s name. Not just once. But twice. With a voice of thunder Abraham heard the power and grace of God. At that instance, he knew that God loved him without fail. Abraham could sense the power of his name being called and it meant so much to him that in verse 14 he named the place, “The Lord provides.”

Jesus is calling your name today. Your name has power in the eyes of God. It may seem trivial and useless right now, but when you feel God’s power when your name is called out, you too will know that the Lord always provides. Let us pray. Dear God. This day we ask that you call our name. Let us know the love you have for us. Let us feel your power directing our lives and let us trust in the knowledge that the Lord always provides. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.