He Knows Your Name
I love baking my special cookies and gifting them to people to brighten up their day. It’s a not-too-sweet almond flavored shortbread dough which I roll out and cut into a variety of fun shapes, then whimsically decorate with a colorful glaze.
Last week when I volunteered at my church, I took a batch of cookies to leave as a pick-me-up for our hard working staff. As I approached the door to enter the building, one of the pastors was on his way out. He noticed my lapful of individually wrapped cookies stacked neatly in a disposable aluminum foil pan.
“I’m bringing treats to all of you today,” I joyfully announced.
“Oh wonderful! Those look great,” he replied, as he led me down the hall to the staff lounge where I could leave them on a table.
He pulled out his phone to take a photo of the cookies so he could alert the staff that a tasty treat awaited them. “Would you like to be in the photo?”, he asked.
“Oh no,” I quickly replied. I’d rather have a root canal than have my photo taken, I said to myself. “Just tell them the woman in the wheelchair made them.”
He looked at me and said matter-of-factly, “They know your name.”
I sat there quite stunned and let this sink in. We’ve only been attending this church for a short time. It’s a large church with a large staff and many different ministries. In the sea of fifteen hundred people who attend this church on a weekly basis, apparently, they know my name. I was having a difficult day and these four words made me feel seen, loved and valued.
It took me a minute to re-center when I realized my Heavenly Father knows my name as well. And He knows your name, your family’s names, your friends, co-workers, and yes, even the person whom He is using as sandpaper to perfect your character. God knows their names too.
God loves to call people by their name. For those who know Jesus, our names are written in Heaven. Isaiah 49:15 &16 tells us, “He’ll never forget us. Our names are written on the palms of His hands.”
I’m reminded of the story about the Samaritan woman at the well. When Jesus approached her and asked for some water, He didn’t call her by her name. But He knew her. He knew she had five husbands and the man she was with now was not her husband. Yet, Jesus continued to speak with her. Jesus didn’t condemn her for her past, but rather invited her into a new future as a true, fellow worshipper who worships the Father in Spirit and in Truth. God knows us and reaches out to generously extend the same invitation to us.
When the angel of the Lord met Hagar by a spring of water in the wilderness, He called her by her name. “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?” (Gen. 16:8) He may have asked the question, but the truth is, He already knew. She was fleeing her mistress who treated her harshly. The angel of the Lord then explained to her, “You will have a son. The Lord has listened and heard her affliction.” Hagar relies, “You are a God who sees!”
God certainly knew King David’s name. He chose David to be the King of Israel when David was still a boy, faithfully tending his father’s sheep. Once David became the King of Israel, he had numerous enemies who were constantly trying to kill him. There were gaping divisions even within his own household. Many of the Psalms of lament were penned by David’s hand at times when he was frustrated with God’s seemingly inattentiveness. Oh, how so many of us can relate to David’s anguish and distress.
“How long, oh Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?” (Psalm 13:1). As David continues to pour out his complaints to God, we notice he ends the Psalm with words that ultimately reflect a wholehearted faith and trust in God’s steadfast love. “I will song to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me.” (vs. 6).
My friends, God sees you. He hears you. Especially when you’re living simultaneously in- between the sparkling lights of goodness and the darkest depths of despair. This is where we learn how to live bravely. We can live as Hagar lived, confidently knowing God hears us. Take a moment and breath deeply. He’s right there beside you, gently pulling you into His presence, calling you by your name. He knows it and He loves you!
What About You?
Describe a time in your life when it seemed God didn’t hear or see you.
What lessons did you learn during that time?
When David finished pouring out his complaints to God, He always ended the Psalm declaring his trust in God. What is your favorite go-to verse that proclaims your trust in your Heavenly Father at all times?
