Our Most Intimate Name

I have a beautiful butterfly quilt made by my great-grandmother, Minnie Schultz, and I have the kerosene lamp that hung in their kitchen. These mean a great deal to me, because I remember my great -grandmother. She was a seamstress and I can imagine how she sat many hours beneath that lamp, hand-stitching many quilts – just like the two my sister and I have in our homes now. She found this a good way of using up scraps of fabric she had collected over the years as she sewed for those in her small community. I have chosen to display them in my home rather than to box them up and protect them to leave for the next generation.

They will mean more to me than anyone that follows because I had relationship with her. I am reminded of her sweet smile, her deaf ears, and her love of flowers whenever I glance at these two keepsakes. What could those that never knew her possibly think of when looking upon them?

In the book, Imagine Heaven, (New York Times Bestseller) author John Burke states, “Most of us don’t know the names of our great or great-great grandmothers and grandfathers. That’s only three or four generations removed from us, and we owe them our lives – yet they’ve already been forgotten. Even if they’ve been remembered, most names will be forgotten within a hundred years, and all will be forgotten eventually. Yet we all want to be remembered.”

In this same book that recounts numerous near death experiences, Dr. Richard Eby who plunged two stories headfirst to the sidewalk below after a railing gave way, recalls the first words the Lord said to him. “Dick, your dead!” This was a name that only his family and close friends called him. Dr. Eby believes this shows the intimacy the Lord has with those He created. When Dr. Eby asked the Lord why he called him “Dick”, the Lord answered, “When I died for you on the cross, it was a most intimate thing.”

Dr. Eby spent ten hours as a lifeless corpse, but he states that he never forgot how personally he is known and loved. Oh! If we could all have that wonderful assurance! It doesn’t seem so important to be remembered here on earth when we know how blessedly loved and remembered we are going to be in eternity.

There are many, many scripture verses about God’s love for us. One of my favorites is Zephaniah 3:17. The LORD your God is in your midst, A Warrior who saves. He will rejoice over you with joy; He will be quiet in His love (making no mention of your past sins), He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy. (Amplified Version) It tells us twice how much He rejoices over us. That’s to emphasize the importance of it and to make sure we hear it. Just as we would treat a most valued friend, He likes to spend time with us. He creates calmness with his love – never rubbing our sins in our face. And last but not least – He fights to save us. I can’t think of a better description of love.

How comforting it is to be reminded that we will NEVER be forgotten and always loved by the one that created us. He calls us by our most intimate names.

Until next time – keep on readin’ and I’ll keep on writin’.