Tuesday, March 13, 2012

God Knows Who We Are

See, I have written your name on my hand. Ever before me is a picture of Jerusalem’s walls in ruins.
-- Isaiah 49:16

Sometimes I just feel so small. The world is so big. There are so many people, many with issues and concerns far beyond anything I face. Yet my worries seem big to me. They matter to me.

I am so grateful that God sees me. I am so blessed that God never forgets my name. I am not just another faceless person with an endless list of demands. I am not just another check on God’s to do list. I matter to Him. God cares for me and takes care of me no matter how busy He is.

That is something I find utterly amazing. Why should the God of the universe care about me? When I don’t seem to matter to anyone else, I matter to Him. So do you.

I think we all know God loves us, in that general sort of way. God is, well, God. He loves all of us so much that He sent His Son to die for us. But does He love me? Does He really know me? Does He really bother Himself with the details of my life, my issues, my heartbreaks, my joys?

The answer is yes. YES! I want to shout it from the mountain tops. Just as we want to know the details of the lives of those we love, God wants to know about us. He has written my name, and yours, on His hand. He won’t forget.

Answered prayers are one way we know He cares. Have you ever prayed something in your heart, so fervently, so desperately, knowing that it was an impossibility -- and had God answer that prayer? Have you ever closed your eyes, bowed down in grief, and felt arms surround you in comfort -- and you were alone?

God desires to have a relationship with us. It’s not about following rules and doing good deeds. It’s about loving and honoring God. It’s about seeking Him out and calling Him Savior and friend. It’s about laughter and joy and sorrow and pain. It’s about reaching up and grasping the hand that will never let you go.

God has my name written on His hand. He has your name written on His hand. He knows us, inside and out. He loves us for who we are. We belong to Him. We are His children and we matter so very much to Him.