“A name known only to the recipient and God is private, indicating God will relate to us as individuals, not just as one large group.

“C. S. Lewis asked, ‘What can be more a man’s own than this new name which even in eternity remains a secret between God and him? And what shall we take this secrecy to mean? Surely, that each of the redeemed shall forever know and praise some one aspect of the divine beauty better than any other creature can. Why else were individuals created but that God, loving all infinitely, should love each differently?’

“Our different personalities, rewards, positions, and names in Heaven speak not only of our individuality but also of how God finds unique reasons to love us. I love my wife and daughters, and I love different things about each.

“We’re like unique instruments, played by an orchestra to produce one beautiful sound, rich in its variety. We all have our unique part in glorifying God. We bring something singular and vital to the concert of praise.” (Heaven, by Randy Alcorn, pp. 355-356)

My then four-year-old daughter once complained to me, “If everyone is special, then no one is special!” She was responding to the shallow optimism and affirmation of a popular children’s television show. To her mind, it was much easier to believe that most of us are pretty blah and average, and that only a few are worthy of being called special and unique. Recently, an adult friend expressed a similar viewpoint. She struggled to believe that God could care about her as an individual, and not see her as just another face in the crowd, an easily replaced interchangeable part, like a sparkplug in a car.

Christ’s promise quoted above gives us strong reason to believe that he does indeed see each of his people as special and unique. If he has a name for me that only the two of us will know, then I am not just one more generic member of his kingdom; I am a valued, known, and celebrated individual with characteristics and abilities that are not exactly like anyone else’s.

In God’s kingdom, giving a name is much more than assigning an arbitrary label. When God gives a name, it is to express his goals, plans, and desires for that person. He called Gideon “Mighty Man of Valor” when he was hiding in fear from the Midianites (Judges 6:11-12). Christ gave the name “Peter” (Rock) to Simon when he was far from being steady or stable. He calls his people “saints,” “holy ones,” when we are still subject to sin. God knows his plans for us; he knows who we really are according to his own objectives and purposes. The name he gives does not reflect the worst of our past or present, but the best of the future that he intends for us.

What could my hidden, secret name possibly be? Whatever it is, I believe it will reflect the deepest longings and desires of my heart to serve and glorify God. It will affirm all that I secretly wanted to be in his eyes. Christ’s promise of a new and secret name is a source of great hope.  He knows my name.

After working with a Christian organization for over thirteen years, I left in October of 2008 to start a new web venture with some former co-workers. It did not work out, but I gained some good experience and am grateful for the opportunity.

I am currently underemployed as an editor and writer. God has used 2009 to get me to dig deeper into understanding what makes me tick and what is important to him. It has been great, difficult, wonderful, and painful all at the same time. Some books that have helped me in this process are:

• Inner Healing, by Mike Flynn and Doug Gregg
• The Bondage Breaker, by Neil T. Anderson
• Heaven, by Randy Alcorn

Again and again in my life I have found that God has worked through Christian books to move me forward in the process of learning and doing what life is supposed to be about. These same books might help you, especially the last one. I wish I could get everyone I know to read Randy Alcorn’s great book about heaven. It really is a life changing book, and I hope to write more about it in days to come.

Forgiveness, healing, faith, and hope have been recurring themes this year. God has done great things in my life in all these areas. I am looking forward to what he has for my family, my friends, and me.

Optamill