what's in a name?

Tonight we went to the school program called the SCCS Extravaganza.  They do it every year about a week before school finishes for the year.  Every year, I sit and watch this program and the hair stands up on my arms or my throat tightens with emotion, watching all of these children singing praises to God....and recaping their entire year of monthly chapels and songs and learning about the character and mercy and purpose of Holy God.  Oh.  My.  Word.  For about 10 years now, I have sat at this program and decided that it doesn't matter how much we still owe for tuition, at the end of the school year.  It is worth it.  Every year.  Every year it gets harder and harder to find the money but when I sit in the pew at the SCCS Extravaganza in May......I am reinspired.

One song tonight is called He Knows My Name.  I found it on You Tube but can't quite get it on the blog tonight for some reason.  If you want to listen, just look it up on the internet.  The kids have been singing it for awhile now, and the first time I heard Precious Maryn sing it, I think, was in the car.  Her sweet voice in the back seat singing:  "He knows my name.  He knows my every thought...." and I choked up because He does know her name.  I have told her that He named her.  I didn't tell her, yet, why or how.

When Precious' birth mom discovered she was pregnant, she went to an abortion clinic.  She could not parent this child.  At the clinic she learned she was too far along in her pregnancy for an abortion and left the clinic distraught.  She heard the Lord whisper to her:  "This child is precious in my sight and I have great plans for her".....and when she went into to labor just weeks later, she chose to name her Precious.  I do not write this to heap burning coals of condemnation on our birth mom's head.  She was scared and desperate and didn't know what else to do.  I write this to declare the glory of the Lord in the lives of His children.  This birthmom KNEW the voice of the Lord.  She knew.  She listened.  She obeyed.....through great pain.  

Her name is Precious because the Lord God almighty named her that.  He knows her name.  

And.

Yes.

You know what comes next.....

He knows your name as well.  And mine.  He knows.  Lets start running to him and not from him because he already knows.  Lets sing the praises of that beautiful melody.  He knows my name.