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But now thus says the Lord, he who created you\'�� \'��Fear not, for"); document.writeln("I have redeemed you. I have called you by name, you are mine.\"¹

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At"); document.writeln("one time or another we have all walked into a quick-service restaurant, you know,"); document.writeln("where you walk up to the counter, order your food, and are given a receipt with"); document.writeln("a big, bold number at the top. A few minutes later, someone shouts: \'��847, your"); document.writeln("order is ready!\'�� You look around for half a second before realizing, \'��Oh,"); document.writeln("That is me! I am 847!\" Suddenly, you have become just one more number in the line"); document.writeln("of people waiting for a cheeseburger. Recently, my family visited a different"); document.writeln("quick-service chain and upon completing my order, the clerk asked, \'��Can I have"); document.writeln("a name for this order?\'�� So I gave them my daughter\'��s name. A few minutes later"); document.writeln("we heard, \'��Olivia, your food is ready!\'�� My daughter instantly perked up, \'��Mom,"); document.writeln("He knows my name!\'�� There is a feeling of warmth that comes when someone calls"); document.writeln("you by name and you are more than a number.

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When"); document.writeln("we become children of God, you can rest assured that He knows your name. When"); document.writeln("Moses stood before the presence of God in Exodus 33, he placed his request"); document.writeln("saying, \'��If you are"); document.writeln("pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find"); document.writeln("favor with you.\'�� (v.13)"); document.writeln("To which the Lord replied, \'��I will do the very thing you have asked,"); document.writeln("because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.\'�� (v.17) In John 20,"); document.writeln("Mary Magdalene was having a hard time believing that Jesus had indeed risen"); document.writeln("from the dead while speaking to whom she believed to be the gardener. But He"); document.writeln("got her attention when Jesus said to her, \'��Mary.\'�� (v.16) Over and over"); document.writeln("again in Scripture we see that names are important to God. He has extended a"); document.writeln("personal invitation to you, by name, to share in His glory for all eternity."); document.writeln("Take comfort in knowing that to God we are not just a number \'�” He knows YOU and"); document.writeln("He calls YOU by name!

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Suggested prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, what a comfort to know that my name has been written in your book, that I am a"); document.writeln("child of God, that you have called me by name and I am Yours. Thank you, Jesus,"); document.writeln("for the promise of an eternity with you. Amen.

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1. "); document.writeln("Isaiah 43:1 (ESV)."); document.writeln("

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Today\'��s Encounter was written by:"); document.writeln("Veronica B.

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