Children from the East

A few weeks ago, I was reading through Isaiah (one of my favorites), and these words from chapter 43 leapt off the page and into my heart.  It seemed to be a promise right from His lips, and it made the reality of this mission a bit more concrete.  

"Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
  I will bring your children from the east
  and gather you up from the west.
I will say to the north, 'Give them up!'
  and to the south, 'Do not hold them back.'
Bring my sons from afar
  and my daughters from the ends of the earth--
everyone who is called by my name,
  whom I created for my glory,
  whom I formed and made." (v. 5-9)

God has formed and made each one of these 'Children from the East', and not only that, but He so desires that they know Him, that they know the glory for which they were made. He delights in them, and His heartbeat is that they delight in His love for them through salvation in Jesus Christ.

I love verse 7, "everyone who is called by my name."  When I think about names, I think about belonging.  My last name, Tokheim, is a mark that I belong to the family of Dan and Cathy Tokheim. I'm theirs, a truth which is shown by the name I bear.  Orphans don't have that sense of belonging, that name on which they can base their identity.  They are nameless.  But praise be to God that He has called them by His Name! He gives them a name that identifies them as belonging to the Name which is above every name.  He invites them into His family.  What a gift.  I can't wait to share it with them.