When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” – Exodus 3:4

Today’s Scripture Reading (August 13, 2018): Exodus 3

The famous line from William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet" reminds us that often a name is nothing more than a label. “What's in a name? that which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” We could call it a hippopotamus, or a zrigley, or anything else that we could imagine, and yet the flower’s essence would remain unchanged. It is rose, coming in different colors and often carrying different meanings; red for love, yellow for friendship or white for purity, but the essence of the flower remains unchanged. No matter the name, it would still be beautiful and coveted, and it would still have a fragrance that would encourage us to breathe deeply of its essence.

But, while Shakespeare might have been right about the rose, I am not sure that he is right when it comes to us. Names matter, Unfortunately, while I realize that names matter, I struggle with them – especially if someone’s appearance reminds me of someone from my past. Even my best friends are not immune from my forgetful nature. Their essence has not changed, they are still my friends, but their name is still very important.

The Exodus story turns to an obscure shepherd. He hasn’t always been obscure. In fact, there was a time in his life when he was very well known. He was royalty. But a long time had passed since the days when he lived in the palace in Egypt. But while once he was known, no one in Egypt had spoken his name in decades. His entire existence seemed to be wrapped up in taking care of his father-in-law’s sheep. And not only had no one in Egypt spoken his name, fewer and fewer people in Egypt would even remember his name but out here with the sheep, no one called his name. The sheep never spoke it. And there was no one else around to speak it.

Except that on this day, the name is spoken. Moses. The name must have seemed loud amidst the silence of the pasture. The voice spoke a specific name. The voice and the bush were not waiting for someone, anyone, to pass. The voice, the bush, and the fire were waiting for one specific person; one named Moses.

The people in Egypt had all but forgotten his name. The sheep never knew his name. But God called him by name. God had not forgotten this obscure shepherd who was once royalty. God knew his name, and he spoke the name clearly. And God, in speaking Moses name, spoke love and belonging over the shepherd that he probably did not believe could belong to him. After all, he was no longer a prince; just an obscure shepherd of the pasture.

Moses story is also our story. God still knows our names. And he is still calling. Can you hear your name being called by the one who knows you better than you know yourself? Listen closely, because God is still speaking love and belonging over you, just as he did with Moses. Know that your name matters and that God not only knows it; he speaks your name.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Exodus 4