Thankful Thursday- Will Anyone Remember My Name

 

February's Thankful Thursday hostess, Laurie at Women Taking A Stand, poses an interesting question:  "After I'm gone, will anyone remember my name?"  She concludes that there is One who will never forget us!

Isaiah 43:2 "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine."

Actually, Laurie's question is something I've already thought long and hard about.  When my father knew he was dying from cancer, he was concerned that his grandchildren would forget him.  I assured him that I would tell my kids all about their grandpa.  I did such a good job of telling stories about grandpa that nowadays when I start to mention his name, my girls roll their eyes ... I may have overdone it.

This experience weighed heavily on my mind as I began to approach my fifties. I'd already realized that stories without relationship won't mean much to most people. I wanted to be sure that when I passed away, people wouldn't forget me.  (I know, it sounds a tad vain - but hey, I'm just being honest about my feelings!)

After all, I had always felt that I was put here to do something!  I just never have quite figured out what that "something" is ...

Working in the church as I do, I'm used to discussing ideas such as this with a lot of my pastor friends.  One of them told me that I was being kind of prideful - the idea that God wanted me to do something "special" may just be the enemy's ploy to bring discontent into my life.  [But then, he is a firm believer in Calvinism, so it really doesn't matter what my longings and dreams are, it's already been foreordained what will happen.  I may as well just zone out and enjoy the ride!]

I discovered blogging and felt perhaps here was my answer.  Hearing stories about another person that you never met maybe won't touch you, but if I, as the writer, can build a relationship with you with my words, then perhaps I can have an impact.

What I have noticed about blogging is that you can form a bond with a like-minded stranger that over the years becomes as strong as family. You get used to the way they write and you begin to notice when something is wrong.  They don't post like they used to, or something just sounds different about the way they write. And your readers notice the same thing about you.

I've kind of wandered off into a "rabbit trail" as one of my pastors used to say!  Getting back to the original question, "will anyone remember my name," I love what Laurie said about God calling us by name.  I'm so thankful that He will never forget me!

There's another scripture I love,

“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast

and have no compassion on the child she has borne?

Though she may forget,

I will not forget you!

See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;

your walls are ever before me.

Your children hasten back,

and those who laid you waste depart from you.

Isaiah 49:15-17

This is the Lord talking to the children of Israel.  When we accept Christ as our Savior, we are grafted into the family of Abraham, so these scriptures are for us, too.  He cares so much about us that we are engraved in the palm of His hand!  How awesome is that? You can't forget about someone that is written on your body!

When you get right down to it, isn't that more important than anything else?  If the Creator of the Universe knows who you are and promises to never forget you, what does it matter if everyone else does?

I'm thankful that I know my Redeemer, and He knows me, too!