18-08-2005, 06:12 AM
HE CALLS THEM BY NAME -----
by Max Lucado
WHEN I SEE a flock of sheep I see exactly that, a flock. A rabble of
wool. A herd of hooves. I don't see a sheep. I see sheep. All alike.
None different. That's what I see.
But not so with the shepherd.
To him every sheep is different. Every face is special. Every face
has a story. And every sheep has a name.
The shepherd knows his sheep. He calls them by name.
When we see a crowd, we see exactly that, a crowd. Filling a stadium
or flooding a mall. When we see a crowd, we see people, not persons,
but people. A herd of humans. A flock of faces. That's what we see.
But not so with the Shepherd. To him every face is different. Every
face is a story. Every face is a child. Every child has a name.
The Shepherd knows his sheep. He knows each one by name. The Shepherd
knows you. He knows your name. And he will never forget it. I have
written your name on my hand (Isa. 49:16).
Quite a thought, isn't it? Your name on God's hand. Your name on
God's lips. Maybe you've seen your name in some special places. On an
award or diploma or walnut door. Or maybe you've heard your name from
some important people-a coach, a celebrity, a teacher. But to think
that your name is on God's hand and on God's lips . . . my, could it be?
Or perhaps you've never seen your name honored. And you can't
remember when you heard it spoken with kindness. If so, it may be
more difficult for you to believe that God knows your name.
But he does. Written on his hand. Spoken by his mouth. Whispered by
his lips. Your name.
by Max Lucado
WHEN I SEE a flock of sheep I see exactly that, a flock. A rabble of
wool. A herd of hooves. I don't see a sheep. I see sheep. All alike.
None different. That's what I see.
But not so with the shepherd.
To him every sheep is different. Every face is special. Every face
has a story. And every sheep has a name.
The shepherd knows his sheep. He calls them by name.
When we see a crowd, we see exactly that, a crowd. Filling a stadium
or flooding a mall. When we see a crowd, we see people, not persons,
but people. A herd of humans. A flock of faces. That's what we see.
But not so with the Shepherd. To him every face is different. Every
face is a story. Every face is a child. Every child has a name.
The Shepherd knows his sheep. He knows each one by name. The Shepherd
knows you. He knows your name. And he will never forget it. I have
written your name on my hand (Isa. 49:16).
Quite a thought, isn't it? Your name on God's hand. Your name on
God's lips. Maybe you've seen your name in some special places. On an
award or diploma or walnut door. Or maybe you've heard your name from
some important people-a coach, a celebrity, a teacher. But to think
that your name is on God's hand and on God's lips . . . my, could it be?
Or perhaps you've never seen your name honored. And you can't
remember when you heard it spoken with kindness. If so, it may be
more difficult for you to believe that God knows your name.
But he does. Written on his hand. Spoken by his mouth. Whispered by
his lips. Your name.