GOD KNOWS OUR NAMES
Suggested Reading: Isaiah 43-44
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).
A flooded river bed, now dry, makes its way from the high country in Israel to the dry and arid region of the Dead Sea. The roots of the trees can find water which remains underground. Even in dry times we can reach down in our prayers and Bible studies to tap the life-giving underground water Source. God has promised to "pour water on him who is thirsty" (44:3a).
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verses: Isaiah 43:1, 44:3
But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name;
You are Mine…”
For I will pour water on him who is thirsty,
And floods on the dry ground;
I will pour My Spirit on your descendants,
And My blessing on your offspring;
Our Scripture reading for today begins with the fact that our God is a personal God! No doubt Isaiah’s readers will have brought to mind stories such as that of the Prophet/Priest Samuel. God called “Samuel” by name. Read 1 Samuel 3:1-10 and realize that God knows each one of us by our names. God called a man who was persecuting His people. In Acts we read of the man who became the Apostle Paul, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting Me?” (Acts 9:1-22).
Isaiah 44 describes the efforts of men to create new gods an then represent them by images made of wood and stone. In contrast, the true, one and only God, is not a creation but is the supreme Creator! Man does not imagine Him, nor do we name Him. He names Himself! And to think that Almighty God can call us by our individual names! He expects us to respond to His call. Let us take time right now to listen for God. Is He calling us by name with that “still small voice” (1 Kings 19:12). When we hear His voice, it is truly like a refreshing drink of water for the thirsty soul.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord Jesus, You said, “My sheep know My voice”! (John 10:27). I am one of Your sheep Lord, so it follows that all I have to do is quiet my spirit and listen carefully. I hear You calling me and telling me, “I know your name and I love you!” I pray that I will love You back more and more, Lord Jesus! 1 John 4:19 declares that “We love Him because He first loved us.” Amen!!!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
I have on my laptop screen a page of icons. I can click on “Concordance” and type in a few words of a verse, and it immediately finds the reference, so that I can then open my Bible and read the verse in its context. For example, this morning I did not use the concordance app, but put the words, “Still small voice” into the Google search engine. It said that for those words there were 430,000,000 results in 0.16 seconds!!! All this boggles my mind. I may not know how this all works, but I do know with the certainty of God’s Word that God knows my name, and He calls me by my name! Through the years, when I needed a particular chapter and verse and my son-in-law, Rev. Nizar Shaheen was handy, I would give him two or three words of the Scripture I wanted to find. He would immediately tell me where it was found. I’ve never found anyone else with such a memory.
The story of Nizar’s conversion to Christ is an amazing one, and today’s first key verse is a big part of his testimony. He fell from the minaret of a mosque under construction and his brothers thought he was dead. They laid him in the back seat of a car when they saw signs of life to take him to the hospital. Lying there he heard a voice saying, “Nizar, Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine!” Click here for an interview I did with Nizar in 2003, where he tells this amazing story of our great, personal God Who knows each of our names and Who created each one of us for His purpose. I’ve just read again Isaiah 43:7-11 and committed myself again for today to be as verse 10a says,”You are My witnesses”!!!
Yours in recognition of the fact that God not only knows our names, but He knows everything about each one of us and He loves us!!!
David
P.S. Below is a picture of the life-giving waters of the Jordan River right after my grandson Eric Mainse (Ron and Ann’s son) was baptized by Nizar and me a couple of years ago.
What a beautiful loving photo of your grandson’s baptism.
I pray for your healing daily, delighted to see answers to prayers the other day
Yes, He does know us by Name. He is a song that says just that. I hope you enjoy it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXsiWoyjw60
Have a great day blog buddies.
Such comfort is found in acknowledging that we are created first and known fully by our Creator throughout our living years. Life changes can be made as God creates a road in the wilderness. Newness shall spring forth as rivers in a desert and waters in the wilderness. These area’s of flooding in the desert have been call a “wash.” They form trails through the desert from which one can follow easilly pass through. Without them the ground is covered with dangerous shrub and cactus. Can we say, “nothing changes in my life” and be content?Even following this blog, there is change and renewal ! Content only to be quiet in spirit and listen for God’s “still small voice” or, moved as a wave of His presence guides us in what direction we shall turn. Listen, listen, listen, and today’s scripture informs us, “Shall you not know it?” Have a great day, to all!
Amen!
Amen David! What joy to be still and know that He IS GOD.
What a glorious picture David M of you and Eric after being baptized. 🙂
Love today’s pictures. I’m a picture person. Was surprised to see a cloudy sky in Israel. The tree is a thing of beauty. What a precious picture of your grandson, son-in-law and you David. Thanks for these and have a blessed day.
Love the Isaiah readings.
Lovely picture of both of you
Have a good day and keep warm
Lianne Hogg
What a wonderful picture! So thankful that the Lord does know us by name!
What a gift, blessings to all of you!
Praying for safety, as we experience such cold temperatures!
I’m thankful.
Many years ago I was getting to know a very busy pastor of a large parish and after many conversations I thought he knew who I was, then one day after services I went to speak to him and he said ” And what is your name again?”. A part of me understood that it would be impossible for a human being to remember all the names of the people this man has met, but a part of me felt invisible and not worth remembering.
There is something about being called by our names that makes us very valued, which is why telemarketers if they have your first name they will used it to give the impression of familiarity on their part– like they are a friend,not someone trying to sell you something.
And when I first got the internet one of the first things I did was “google” my name and was bit put off to realize I wasn’t the only person in the world with my name. Because my name is so interwoven into my sense of being an individual, apart from everyone else.
However, in the end, as wonderful as it is that God knows my name, I am far more grateful that He understands my heart. He knows all my fears, weaknesses, doubts, strengths, dreams, and thoughts. He shares all my memories, been everywhere I have been, knows everyone I know. And best of all despite knowing everything He still chooses to love me.
He knows us, He knows our names, yet isn’t it a shame that so many only know His name as a curse word and don’t understand Him at all. Thankfully we have so many Christians, such as you, Mr. Mainse giving your life in service so others may know Him and know your precious His name is— which is what happened to me back in the 80’s by watching Huntley St.
I enjoyed listening David to your 15 minute interview with your son-in-law Nizar. I could feel the holy spirit within move as a sign of affirmation to what I was watching and listening…
What a wonderful picture of you, Nizar, and your grandson Eric being baptized in the Jordan river. It reminds me of my baptism in the Fraser River in Vancouver, BC in 1970…
Praise be to our living God who never forsakes us… AMEN!
WOW!
What wonderful memories this interview with Nizar brings back to us. We visited Cana with you in 2012 and actually saw Jesus’s first miracle Church, the well, the water vessels and the basketball court where you may have met Nizar when he was a child many years ago. We vividly remember Ron telling the assembled group, as you were resting due to poor health at that time, about the wedding with Ellen and how you obtained 2,000 NKJV bibles in their language for the muslims present..
When we later visited the village in Nazareth that day everyone there asked to be remembered to Nizar!
We recommend highly your annual tour to Israel.
Shalom,
Graham & Vivienne.
2012 Holy Land Yellow Bus.
Love the baptism picture with your grandson and son “in-love”. So special, thanks for sharing it and I am still rejoicing in your wonderful healing report!!
Coralee
Dear Rev. David M.
What a fabulous testimony of your son in law Nizar and His coming to Christ. We do serve the # 1 Conductor of our life so I pray Lord to be quiet , be still so I can make room for that Little Voice to be heard and I am so comforted and encourged by Isaiah …. For I will pour water on him ,
who is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground .
I will pour my Spirit on your descendents, and my blessings on your offsprings.
Have a blessed day everyone.
xxxx Carole.
I got chills as I Ilistened to the interview with Nizar and to hear the miraculous way God orchestrated his life. I think perhaps that young lad was Nizar David and only a God such as ours could make that so.
Picture of the baptism was a joy to see.
I am still amazed to know My Lord knows me in a most personal way like no other does and still loves me so.
Blessings to all today. Let us be still enough to hear HIS voice.
Dear David: In 1995 I went to Israel with you, Norma Jean and Nizar. While waiting in line to receive the baptism, I asked Nizar if he could join you in baptizing me, and of course you agreed! I always think of Nizar and you as my “Baptizers”!
Also: thank you for leading me to accept Jesus so many years ago because of your programme. Love, Mary
An apsolutley beautiful photo, the love and joy displayed in your expression and the love
Shown to you David by your grand son, as, Nizar happily looks on is priceless.
Love and prayers to all
M.
A precious photo of a precious moment 🙂
Through the ages in the trying of mankind, of tribulations and sufferings, the Lord has pursued the destiny of Humankind…to create a Spiritually strengthened people, tested and true, who by their OVERCOMING; become steadfast in Righteousness and finally come into their graduation in the fulfillment of their potential…to become a Priestly race… JACOB is a sign, and the example of OVERCOMING in the wrestling with an Angel is a Divine and clear message for the Children of Israel who are named after Jacobs new name…Israel! This is a timely revelation, for our latter time situation..The Lords expresses His expressed Paternal devotion and the challenge that the world should acknowledge the need to assist the Messiah in the Lords’ Mission to save the Lost sheep of Israel…