Welcome to another daily encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

I hope you find this devotion written by Patricia Rabin, Uplifting.

She titled it, He Knows Your Name.

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 D. Camelo

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 in Isaiah 43.

We had chosen a different church for a time, but they had turned their backs on God.

Yet he welcomed them back. He said the prophet Isaiah

to assure them, do not fear, for I have redeemed you. I have summoned you by name, you are mine.

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.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you.

And when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.

This promise isn't just for Israel. Jesus ransomed his life for us. He knows our names. Why, in love, we are His.

Our scripture reading for today comes from the book of Isaiah chapter 43, verses 1 through 7.

But now, this is what the Lord says. He who created you, Jacob, he who formed you,

Israel, do not fear, for I have redeemed you. I have summoned you by name, you are mine.

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