My name: it’s a secret!

Earlier this week I was taking assemblies in two primary schools. In the first school I was introduced as ‘a church visitor’ as the teacher obviously didn’t know who I was (shame she didn’t ask me!)

So I began by introducing myself.  As I’d been before I asked the children if any of them remembered my name.

Quite a few hands went up but the one that caught my eye belonged to a little girl in the front row: reception class.

She was desperate to answer the question and I was certain she didn’t have a clue who I was! So, foolish risk I know, I just couldn’t resist giving her the opportunity to answer the question.

I faltered momentarily remembering that whenever any ‘church visitor’ asks a question of a small child, the answer is likely to be  ‘Jesus’, but she surprised me.

‘So what’s my name, then?’

‘It’s a secret!’ she declared with confidence.

Full marks to her! She got her moment of glory and she gave me a brilliant answer.

You see I do have a secret name. It’s so secret that even  I don’t  know it… yet (see Revelation 2:17).

But over the last few months I have come to refer to myself by another ‘secret’ name. It’s a phrase that God impressed on me several months ago and I’ve been gradually realising that I now refer to it regularly in my head whenever I feel challenged, insecure or anxious: ‘I am ……..’

Ah, but that would be telling. It’s my secret name after all.

I’ll leave it up to you, maybe you’d like to ask God what private name he gives to you?