What's your name?

The other day, I was walking into a facility where elderly individuals live.  For weeks, I have walked in and seen the same faces.  Some are energetic and full of life, others are just sustaining.  There was a Hispanic gentleman that often sat outside and enjoyed the nice weather.  He often sits at the corner of the porch in a wheelchair wearing a knit cap.  Often I would think that I should speak to him especially since he might not speak English and if that was the case, I could communicate in Spanish. 

I passed by him many times and eventually I walked up to him and spoke. I discovered he did speak English when he asked me "What's your name?" I told him "Dee" and then asked "what's your name?"  he said "Lalo."  I said "Well hello Lalo, do you have family here?"  He told me that he did have family here and that his daughter lived in Sugarland.  Of course I thought it odd that he would be in Kingwood when his daughter lived so far away. 

Lalo told me of his Navy days and how he had served during Pearl Harbor.  We talked about Hawaii and The Arizona.  I told him of my family members that had served in the military even an uncle that had also served at Pearl Harbor.  He stated that he had five children all grown and with lives of their own.  He told me that his daughters visited him now and then and that his sons were too far away to visit.  I asked how long he had been there at the facility and he said about a year.  We spoke for several minutes before I told him I had to leave.  Later in the conversation I discovered that he had a daughter that lived in the community.  I thought it strange that he did not mention that earlier but did not give it a second thought.

It was so special to visit with him.  The next time I went to the location he was not sitting outside.  I did not know where to locate him since I only knew his first name but I knew that on a clear day, he would be sitting there again.  True to form, on my next visit Lalo was sitting outside.  The excitement was mounting as I walked up the sidewalk and prepared to say "Hello Lalo, how was your day? What have you been doing?"  My excitment was quickly crushed when I apporached him, patted his hand and asked "Hi Lalo how are you?" and he replied with "Hi, what's your name?"

It was then that I discovered why he was in that facility.  I was crushed.  How could it be that someone who had so freely spoken to me and told me about his life not remember it days later.  I walked away sad and yet thankful.  Thankful that I had the opportunity to talk with him and spend time with him.  As I walked away, I was thankful that despite what I do, how old I am, what I remember or forget, God does not forget me. 

I am thankful that despite what I may do wrong, how I may stray, or how I mess up, when I come back to Christ, He always knows me.  He never says "Hello, What's your name." God knows each and every one of us by name.  He knows everything about us and there is nothing we can do to make him forget us.  We are his children and He has given each of us a name.  One that He will never forget.

The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice.  He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.  John 10: 3-4