Week 3: Listening to the Father
Listening for My Name
Week 3, Day 3
Fill in the following two blanks:
I am most excited to hear my name when it is called __________________________________.
I most dread hearing my name when it is called ______________________________________.
John 10:3 (NIV)
The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
My mom has a unique name. Not many people are named Jocelynn and if they are, they even more rarely have two N’s at the end. When we hear her name, we immediately turn, thinking that it is in reference to my mom. We know her name and smile when we hear it spoken. My name, however, is not as unique. At a family retreat in Cochabamba, Bolivia, there were three “Michelle”s in attendance: a toddler, a teen, and myself. Needless to say, the toddler was most often the Michelle being called, but I turned to look. Every. Single. Time. And since I know that Michelle is not a unique name, I shouldn’t be surprised when there is more than one Michelle around. The funniest time there was a confusion of names was when I was in Bogota, Colombia, on a Sunday. There is a brother there named Michel (French for Michael, and how my name is pronounced in Spanish). So when the announcement came that Michel would be leading singing this morning, I froze, until I remembered that I was not the only “Michelle” in attendance.
Except for my moment of panic in Colombia, or the one time I was called to the principal’s office as a kid, most of us like hearing our name called. Okay introverts, maybe you don’t ever want the attention drawn to you by having your name called. But, for better or worse, our name is part of who we are, and it is how we are known. Whether a nickname or the name on your birth certificate, it shapes who you are.
Many people have asked my dad if he is sad that his name will not be carried on to another generation since we are four daugh-ters (no sons). He wisely replied that it mattered more to him that the name of Christ be what is passed on to the next generations. With God as our Father, our name in Him is most important.
Romans 8:14-17 (ESV)
14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
Ephesians 1:3-6 (ESV)
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.
1 Peter 1:2 (NLT)
2 God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. May God give you more and more grace and peace.
What does it mean to have the Father call you by name?
How do you feel knowing that He chose you?
What responsibility do we have as a child of God, bearing His name?
Additional notes, drawings, or thoughts from listening to the Father:
We would love to hear from you! Please share with us what you are hearing and how you are growing in your devotion to listening.
This blog post is taken from the book Called to Listen: Forty Days of Devotion. To order a copy of this book, please visit our website and invite a friend to participate in the study with you. The book includes additional guides and questions to be reviewed in a small group context weekly.