Jesus Knows Your Name

“This past weekend in Vineyard Kids, we were practicing praying. When we talk about prayer, we teach kids that it’s both talking and listening to God. So we help the kids practice listening to God, by creating a space to sit in the quiet and see what God says. We say they might feel like a thought just popped into their head out of nowhere or they’ll see a picture in their imagination or hear a song. This Sunday, Riley came up to me after this time of practicing listening, really excited. She said, “I think I maybe heard Jesus.”

“What did he say?” I asked.
 “He said my name, over and over. Riley, Riley, Riley, Riley.” She looked up into my eyes and continued, “Could that be Jesus?”
I said, “yes Riley, I think it is.” And as I prayed and asked for clarification, I felt like God was saying I am calling Riley by name.
I told her this, I told her that God is telling her he knows her, he made her special and that there is no one else like her in the whole wide world and she is a treasure. She turned red and smiled. “Do you think that could be God?” I asked her. She smiled and nodded and gave me a hug.
God called Riley by name and she heard him. How incredible is that?”
—Becca Eastvold