God Knows My Name

I was driving home from a visit to Northern Virginia where I had led a workshop and attended the wedding of a dear friend. I was awash in that sense of one foot in one state and the other somewhere farther south – both places still partially home, neither completely.

Facing the possibility of a sappy and overemotional drive home, I knew I had a long way to go. While I do love a Starbucks buzz, it will take you only so far. So I had turned on the radio and was switching channels between the “Radar Love” that was urging me to drive too fast and the contemporary Christian music that I usually listen to.

I hit the preset button one more time and heard the familiar lyrics: “Who am I that the Lord of all the earth would care to know my name, would care to feel my hurt?” And I came undone.

Because I have gone, and am still continuing to go through that process that all new people go through – that uncomfortable time when everyone knows your name and you are still trying to place faces. I have a new church and a new community and I am struggling with names.

And I am nobody.

Logic tells me that I should be doing better and that the “Lord of all the earth”, the Creator of the entire universe, should not only not know my name, but that He shouldn’t care anything at all about what’s going on in my life.

Yet here I sit, in this bubble of His complete care and love. Not only does He know my name, but He knew me before He “knit me together in my mother’s womb.” He chose my parents, my place of birth, my time of birth, and – amazing love – He has created good works in advance for me to do! He cares to keep my sun and moon and earth on their daily journeys. But He also cares that my personal needs - physical, emotional and spiritual - are met. He sent His only Son to die for my sins and to ensure that I will spend eternity in His presence.

I believe I will concentrate a little harder on this process of getting to know my new neighbors and friends at church.