Tag: childofgod

Hello! My Name Is…

Some individuals feel offended when their name is pronounced incorrectly, so I make an effort to pronounce the names of people I meet correctly. It’s a common courtesy that goes a long way. Some folks have trouble with my last name, and that’s fine. In fact, I expect people to mispronounce it. But I believe my first name, Julia, is pretty straightforward. I often go by Julie, and that’s easy, too – usually. When people mispronounce, or more often, misspell Julie, it amuses me. I’ve seen July, Juley, Julee, Jullie, and most recently, Jukie. Um, Jukie?! Ha ha!

I’m so thankful that God knows my name. He knows how it’s pronounced; He knows how it’s spelled. But more importantly, He calls me His child. I matter to Him, and He delights in me. He knew me long before I was born and has a good plan for my life. He knows every detail about me, including my proudest moments and the shortcomings I’d rather keep hidden, yet still calls me His. I am truly blessed to be loved that much. My name is written in His Book of Life, and His name is written on my forehead. Out of all the names to which I answer, “Child of God” is my favorite.

Front Row Seating

A few years ago, my husband and I spent a couple of days at a lovely beach resort in the Florida panhandle. From our balcony on our first morning there, we watched a young man set out about sixty beach chairs and umbrellas near the water’s edge. We could tell he had done this many times before, as he clearly had a system for setting up the chairs as quickly as possible in three neat rows. We decided to rent two beach chairs, but were disappointed when we inquired about the price and availability. The “front row” chairs were extremely pricey and had already been rented for the duration of our trip. “Second row” chairs were a little cheaper but also unavailable. We had to settle for the available, but still costly “third row” chairs. They were perfectly comfy, but our view of the ocean was obstructed by those lucky enough to snag first or second-row chairs. We eventually laughed, calling ourselves part of the “third-class” crowd. We also laughed that people, including us, were willing to pay exorbitant prices to enjoy tiny strips of beach.

When we spend time with God, we are never part of the “third-class” crowd. Whether we read our Bibles, pray, or worship, we are guaranteed premium seating with our Heavenly Father. When you spend time with Him, you are His priority, and He listens intently as if you were the only person in the world. Psalm 116:2a (NLT) tells us that God even “bends down to listen.” He wants to hear what we have to say and hear the praises we sing. God is the one who paid the exorbitant price when He sent His Son, Jesus, so that you can enjoy sweet communion with Him. The Almighty loves you and wants to spend time with you. He will always have a front row seat reserved just for you.