Myowne is His Own

On May 22, I wrote this journal entry after my morning devotion and prayer time.  I had been reading a book during that time called Born to Create by Theresa Dedmon.  I also had been thinking about the pending last name change that I have finally decided to go through with within the next month or so.

"The Scripture verse today is Isaiah 43:1 - 4.  The verse that really caught my heart was the first one, and specifically when God says '...I have called you by your name: you are Mine.' When someone calls you by name, they have gotten past the formalities of introductions; they are comfortable with who you are and can call your name with clarity and purpose.  So for God to call me by name means that He knows who I am; I am not a stranger to Him.  I matter.  My presence has a name, just like His has a Name - the Name above every name. 

It is wonderful that I can call Him by name and He heeds my call.  But to me, what is more wonderful to me is that He calls me by my name, and I am able to say like the boy Samuel in 1 Samuel: 'Here I am...I'm listening.' (1 Samuel 3:4 - 10)

The other powerful thing about the Isaiah verse is that the Lord called His people by their forefathers' original name, the one given at birth (creation) and then called them by a new name - the name of their redemption (Israel).  He knows who they could have been; He knows who they will ultimately be.

He knows Myama Boone.
He also knows Myama Myowne.
He knows who I ultimately will be; He knows my destiny.

Myama Myowne means 'Essence of Spirit that is My Own' - the name my mother was inspired to give me, I believe, by God because it does point toward a sure destiny - a sure destiny that says I belong to God.  He says I am His own.

That reminds me of a hymn I loved growing up:

'I come to the garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses.  And the voice I hear falling on my ear, the Son of God discloses.  And He walks with me, and He talks with me; And He tells me I am His Own; And the joy we share as we tarry there - None other has ever known.'

God says to me now, 'You are My Own.'"