Rejoice, for He knows your name!

Have you ever been somewhere and others there knew each other, but you were not familiar with anyone?  No one knew your name?  How awkward that feeling is.  While people are talking in their own groups, milling about, laughing, meanwhile you are alone and standing out like a sore thumb.

How comforting it is to know that our Savior knows our name.  He knows everything about us; the good, the bad and the ugly!  He created us, He formed us, He chose for us our appearance, where we would be born, and who would be our parents.  He set a path for us from the beginning of time.  He truly knows us and He knows our name.

Isaiah 49:1 states that the Lord called us from the womb, and He named our name.  In context here, the Lord is referring to Israel.  But, this verse is a great reminder of how intimately he knows us, counts our heartbeats, and listens to our thoughts.

Isaiah 49:16 tells us the Lord has engraved us on the palms of His hands.  Taking some creative license here, think about it this way: How painful would it be to engrave something on the palms of our hands?  I am reminded of the 'Home Alone' movie when the robber touched the hot doorknob and it left a burned engraving on his palm.  Our sin, our neglect of our Lord, our betrayal and disobedience are the pains our Savior felt from the nails through His hands.  Christ willingly did this for us as He suffered on the cross to save us.  He knows us.  He knows our names.

Just as sheep know their shepherds voice, Christ knows us and we know Him (John 10:14-15).  

Rejoice!

For our Savior who created us, knows our name!

Isaiah 43:1-3

But now thus says the Lord,

he who created you, O Jacob,

he who formed you, O Israel:

Fear not, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by name, and you are mine.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;

when you walk through the fire you shall not be burned,

and the flame shall not consume you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 While cleaning out some things this morning, I found the narrative above that I had written last year
for a women's event leaflet.  The verse from Isaiah 43 was one that a Bobkitten gave our group of high school friends to meditate on and keep in our hearts through our trials.  It was a timely reminder to day to read this and see how God has brought this verse to my mind last January 2011, and again in August, and today as I read it.  Thank you, Lord, for laying before us your wonders and comfort!

*Sheep picture borrowed from Pinterest via flickr.  manyfires (Danielle Hughson)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/manyfires/6324316271/