Tag: God knows

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He Knows Your Name

John 20: 16  Jesus said to her, “Mary!”  She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means, Teacher)  NASB

In March of 2020, I moved from St. Louis to Louisville, KY.  This was a pretty big deal, but even more so at the beginning of a pandemic. 

I had left my support system which had been established for 11 1/2 years to start my life over – completely.  Daunting on it’s own.  Monumental and fraught with difficulty in a pandemic.  

Being the new kid, I was constantly introducing myself because no one knew my name. 

It didn’t take too long before I had some connection with neighbors met during walks in the neighborhood .  I was introduced to a few, very few, folks from church, but not for a couple months.  In each case, I said the same phrase – my name is…………

But there’s one person that didn’t need introduction.  Jesus.  He knew me before the move, through the move, and after the move.  He knows my name.  

I can prove that.  In John 10: 27 it says, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them,”   Indeed, I have been listening to His voice for a long time.  Best yet – He knows  me.  He knows the real me.  He knows my name. 

And in Isaiah 43: 1 it says, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine!”    Wow – redeemed & called by name.  I’m known – I’m His.  

In the key verse, Jesus is speaking to Mary.  She doesn’t realize who He is till He says her name.  Can you even imagine what her heart experienced at that  moment?   Jesus, the one she saw die, was now calling her name.  Breathtaking. And – she was the first one He spoke to once resurrected.  The very first one – Mary – hearing her name.  

There’s something special about the connection of saying a name.  Just by the sound, it communicates so much.  

Tomorrow is Resurrection Day.  It’s an enormous celebration of Jesus’ resurrection.  It’s the reason we have hope.  And to think. . . this resurrected Jesus knows our name.  He knows my name!!   

That right there is cause for extraordinary celebration.  The Cross – The Resurrection – Jesus.  And He is saying your name – He is saying my name.  

Hallelujah !  What a Savior

Peace & Blessings

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Flying Above The Turbulence

But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.  They will soar high on wings like eagles.  They will run and not grow weary.  They will walk and not faint.  Isaiah 40:31

 

I don’t want to do this anymore.

How did I get here?  Why is this happening to me?

We all ask these questions when life gets bumpy.  I’m asking them right now.  Life is beyond bumpy. It’s downright turbulent.

I used to think that if you questioned, you were weak in your faith.  But I don’t anymore.  It may be an indication that you are exactly where God wants you to be.  He knows the turbulence causes us to walk closer to Him, press in, listen more, and strengthen our trust muscle.

Looking up in the sky, we see beautiful blue skies with puffy clouds.  It looks serene, but I promise if you fly through the clouds or directly under or over them, you will bounce around.  As a pilot’s wife for nearly 40 years, I’ve experienced everything from a little bumpiness to continuous prayer turbulence. What you can’t see are the powerful updrafts and downdrafts.  You can’t see it, but you can feel it if you get close enough. Life is like that.  Everywhere you turn, there’s turbulence. 

So how in the world do we soar like an eagle above it all? 

We see practical help in today’s verse – a familiar one to most of us. “But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.  They will soar high on wings like eagles.  They will run and not grow weary.  They will walk and not faint.”

 What should we do?  Trust in the Lord.  I need to do it too. Trusting is deep, strong and stabilizing.  When we trust, we can stand firm. It’s not because of us, it’s because of Him.  It’s because He alone is faithful.  Want to hear something comforting?  Nothing we experience surprises Him.  He knows the end from the beginning.  I love that!

How can we soar high?  Did you know eagles can reach an altitude of over 10,000 feet?  They continually soar up and glide down.  Sounds like life – constant ups and downs.  With eagles, the stronger the updraft, the higher they soar. We can do that too.

 

Most birds of prey look back over their shoulder before striking their prey.  But not eagles.  They stay singularly focused and undistracted. I want to be like an eagle. I want to trust undistracted, looking forward, not behind.

Surrender the circumstances and turbulence to Him.  It’s not easy in the midst of life’s bumpy ride, but He will strengthen us.   Our verse connects trust and new strength.  “But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.” 

Can you use some new strength?  Want to soar like an eagle?  Me too!

No matter what it is, cry out to Him – trust Him.  He will give strength to fly above the turbulence.

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Every Part of My Heart

Oh Lord of Heaven’s Armies, you make righteous judgments, and you examine the deepest thoughts and secrets…… Jeremiah 11: 20a

When you watch a magician, do you ever long to know the secret of the trick?  I do.  Intellectually I realize much of it is slight of hand, hidden elements or trap doors.  But the experiential, looking at it right now, in me is frustrated because I can’t figure it out.  I don’t have a clue.

The magician has mastered the covering of secrets.  He’s cloaked it all so well that no one can explain.

We do that too.  If we’re honest, there are deep thoughts and secrets buried in our hearts.  Perhaps some are awful things.  But I know in my own heart, some are often simply too personal to share. . . with anyone.

But God knows.  He sees. 

We’ve all heard that God knows “the thoughts and intentions of the heart”, taken from Hebrews 4: 12.  But did you realize that idea is expressed in other places in scripture?

Back in Genesis when Noah presented a sacrifice to God after coming out of the ark, we see that God looks on “the intent of man’s heart” in Genesis 8: 21.  In Samuel 16: 7, we see God telling Samuel that  “God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart”. And today’s verse says in the New Living Translation, “You examine the deepest thoughts and secrets“.

Everyone else around us would never know, but God knows.

That can be frightening when we harbor sin in our heart.  It’s more than a little uncomfortable thinking about God seeing those thoughts we work hard to cloak.  Scary…….guilty…….confession & forgiveness – the only way out.  And praise Him for that process !  He’s provided a way for that dark stuff to go away. . . forever.

But what about the other stuff?  The intense hurt.  The stark loneliness.  The fear.  The flood of tears held in secret.  The uncertainty.  The searching.  The doubt.

God sees all that too.  And instead of being frightened, we feel seen, understood, comforted and loved.

I’m glad God can see these things in my heart.  I’m glad I don’t have to work at hiding them from Him.  He will never judge me as others would.  He knows I’m dust.  He knows my weaknesses.  He knows it all and loves me just as I am.

Familiar phrase, but it seriously blows me away to think the God of the Universe would even want to look at my heart.  Do you get the magnitude of this deal?  Billions and billions and way beyond that – all those hearts stretching across past, present and future.  Every. Single. Heart. And He not only takes the time, but wants to look at my heart.

Yep.  It scares me a little to think He will find some secret sin I have forgotten or buried so deep even I can’t see it.  But I am so incredibly thankful to know He sees my struggles and wants to help me through them, loving me beyond what I can understand, but so desperately need.

So go ahead and be the magician of your heart with people around you.  But open your heart to the One that loves you no matter what.  No matter what deep thoughts and secrets He finds, He won’t beat you up.   He won’t kick you out of the family.  He will love you through every moment.  He will forgive.  He will strengthen, comfort and encourage.

He will love – because He is love itself.

That makes my heart feel better just knowing it’s true.  I hope it makes your heart feel better too.  

Lord – Only You know every part of my heart.  Thank you for loving me no matter what You find there.  Help me to be honest in confession.  And please give grace, comfort and love as we tackle the hard things together.  I would be so lost without You.  Thank You for never giving up on me.    Amen