God is a Personal God

"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, you are mine."  Isaiah 43:1 (ESV) 

To Be Known

"Norm!" the crowd yells as the portly man walks through the door of a friendly bar.

Remember the TV show about a "place where everbody knows your name"?  It was a place where everyone wanted to go because you felt welcome, you felt known.

Our Need  Every human being has a need to be known intimately by someone.  Many spend their lives searching for the "special someone."  If only we really understood that the One who created us knows us intimately. . . and He still loves us!

His Perfection  There is a song by The Sidewalk Prophets called, "And You Love Me Anyway" that beautifully expresses this character trait of God.  Catch the truth in these lyrics*:

The question was raised
As my conscience fell
A silly little lie
It didn't mean much
But it lingers still
In the corners of my mind
Still you call me to walk
On the edge of this world
To spread my dreams and fly
But the future's so far
My heart is so frail
I think I'd rather stay inside

But You love me anyway
It's like nothing in life
That I've ever known
Yes You love me anyway
Oh Lord, how You love me
How you love me

It took all of my strength
To simply be still
To seek but never find
The reasons we change
The reasons I doubt
And Why do loved ones have to die?

But You love me anyway
It's like nothing in life
That I've ever known
Yes You love me anyway
Oh Lord, how You love me


I am the thorn in your crown
But You love me anyway
I am the sweat from Your brow
But You love me anyway
I am the nail in Your wrist
But You love me anyway
I am Judas' kiss
But You love me anyway
See now I am the man who yelled out from the crowd
For Your blood to be spilled on this earth shaking ground
Yes then I turned away with a smile on my face
With this sin in my heart, tried to bury Your grace
And then alone in the night I still call out for You
So ashamed of my life, my life, my life


But You love me anyway
Oh God, how You love me
Yes You love me anyway
It's like nothing in life
That I've ever known
Yes You love me anyway
Oh Lord, how You love me

 The God who made the universe knows us intimately, and He loves us anyway.  I could search my whole life and never find a person who would be able to do that.  But it is God's nature to love us this way.  He cannot go against who He is.

As I begin this day, I pray that God will give me the strength to let Him love me despite all my failings.

Where am I not allowing God to love me?

How can knowing that God knows me by name change the way I feel about myself. . . and the way I feel about others (especially when I am irritated by someone's actions)? 

*Lyrics from  http://www.lyricsreg.com/lyrics/sidewalk+prophets/You+Love+Me+Anyway/