GOD KNOWS YOUR NAME
In a world of rejection he accepts you
By Catherine Campbell. Monarch Books. 220 pages. £7.99
ISBN 978 1 854 249 838
The title of the book is a good indication of how Catherine Campbell presents the people who have come to realise that God deals with them as individuals as they find forgiveness and acceptance with him.
The book is divided into five sections under the titles of Nameless, Hopeless, Worthless, Helpless, Powerless and Loveless. Each section has two vividly told life experiences, one a biblical story and one a modern day one. The juxtaposition of these stories is helpful in enhancing what is being described in each of them.
In the author’s note at the end of the book, Catherine Campbell says of the biblical stories: ‘Along the way, I have taken great care to seek to stay true to the Bible text and have included the textual references for you to examine for yourself’, acknowledging her indebtedness to dependable sources for the background to the Bible narrative. What she has done is to present the circumstances and feelings of the widow of Zarephath as Elijah met her needs in providing food and then raising her child to life. Similarly, Mephibosheth, the woman with the issue of blood, the man possessed by a Legion of demons: the circumstances of their day and how they would have affected people in a condition such as theirs are woven into each of the stories.
The parallel modern day stories are taken from first-hand accounts in a missionary situation. The experience of a man damaged and enslaved by his hedonistic life style, unable to break free till he called out to God. An abused young woman’s story of finding in Christ what really being loved means impresses with the power of the gospel to reach our deepest needs. The author’s account of reading Psalm139 to her handicapped daughter, when people had implied, and stated, that the child was worthless, is very moving. Catherine Campbell is a great storyteller and, most valuably, through all the stories there is a great sense of God at work.
