He Knows my Name

As a teenager, one Easter Sunday morning I sat listening to a sermon about the Easter Story. Jesus had risen and was in the garden. Mary didn’t recognise him, until he spoke her name, “Mary”. She immediately recognised his voice and knew it was Jesus.

That morning it was as if He had spoken my name. It was as if there was no one else in that church, but Jesus. Have you ever felt as if the preacher was speaking directly to you personally?

God says to His people, ‘I have called you by name, you are mine.’ It doesn’t matter whether you are rich or poor, very important and popular or a quiet, reserved sort of person or one who has been forgiven much like Mary Magdalene. To Jesus you are well known, and very special in His eyes. He will make himself known to you, sometimes through words of others, sometimes He will be close to you in prayer or through the Scriptures. You will recognise Him like Mary did.

‘The Holy Spirit will take what is Mine and reveal it to you’, said Jesus (John 16:15). The risen Lord Jesus has time for us - time to listen and understand, time to receive our song and worship, and time to spend in relationship with us. He came to make our Heavenly Father known to the world and to each individual person in it.

Whether we live or die, He will never leave us and will sweep us up in His arms, if need be, out of the chaos of this fragile world. We are safe in his hands, for He said, ‘Heaven and earth will pass away but my words will never pass away’ (Mark 13:31). We have the faithful promise in His Word. ‘For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Begotten Son that who ever believes on him shall not perish, but have everlasting Life’ (John 3:16). He knows my name!

“I have a Father, He calls me his own.
He’ll never leave me, wherever I may go.
He knows my name, He knows my every thought.
He sees each tear that falls, and hears me when I call.”

Tommy Walker

Prayer: Lord we thank You that You know us so well, yet love us unconditionally. May we trust You implicitly with our lives and with our loved ones, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.