Article July 25, 1988 Issue

The name God gives us

A deeper understanding of God's purpose for our lives shows us who we really are and helps us to fulfill our real potential.

Elfriede Ziegler

[Original in German]

Anxious questions such as "Who am I really? What is my purpose in the world? What, if any, meaning does my life have?" are frequently asked. Many have found comfort, and a clearer grasp of who they are, in these words of God from the book of Isaiah: "Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine." Isa. 43:1.

What is this name that the prophet refers to? What does it have to do with our identity? In many cultures a child is given an individual first name together with his family name. These are recorded in an official birth register and they document the youngster's relationship to the human family into which he or she is born. But is this the name referred to in the Bible passage quoted? Or, to ask it another way, by what name does God call us?

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