The Lord Has Heard my Plea

The Lord has heard my plea; the Lord accepts my prayer.

– Psalm 6:9

If your name described the essence of your life, what would it be? Explorer, struggling, celebrated, broken, lavishly blessed, ignored, investor, storyteller, the list is endless. Certainly, it changes a bit from day to day, but if you look closely there is probably a theme describing your entire life journey.

Many Old Testament characters have names rich with personal meaning. Hagar’s story is found in Genesis 16 and 21. In its variations her name tells it all, meaning; forsaken, one that fears, flight, a stranger. Enslaved to a childless woman, she is given to the woman’s husband to make a baby, and she does! However, that complicated family dynamic does not work out well for anyone. Powerless and scared she runs away but finds no refuge, only barren desert. Alone in a desperate place, she has an amazing encounter, she meets her Creator, God, and He knows her name! God tells her to return to her mistress and gives her the name of the son she will bear, Ishmael, meaning “God listens.”

The enduring stories of these characters and their descendants still resonate in the world today. God still seeks out the desperate and abandoned, He still listens to the cry of a repentant heart. He still blesses despite past failures and misguided plans.

Never forget the day He heard your prayer and rescued you through the power of Jesus Christ. Praise Him for giving you the name “redeemed.”