GOD KNOWS OUR NAMES
Today’s 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 and 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! 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 nearby, 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 to take him to the hospital when they saw signs of life. 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 few years ago.
I remember all that was happening to Ellen and Nizar and saw the wedding videos. A wonderful story with great blessing. Amazing how God planned it all. So pleased to hear that the gospel is reaching so many and that Nizar has the understanding of the cultures of the Middle East. Praise God.
Amen!
What a fantastic pic, David!My grandson, Eli is 20 months old !My daughter was trying to change his diaper and not wanting to lie still yelled “Help Jeejus..help”lol.Granted, he called on Jesus for help but my daughter explained Jesus would not want him in a wet diaper!Soo funny!I pray he will love and serve the Lord and be baptized just like Eric!Help us, Lord to be Your example ,especially to our children,grandchildren and great grandchildren !
It’s always a blessing hearing Nizar’s testimony and I also read “Day unto Day”. Missed hearing him in Jerusalem as he was not well. May that “living water” flow into you David and renew your strength. Blessings on all of you today! Ger
David
I have a C.D. that was given to me called “My Beloved Be Still And Know” with those
all the scriptues from Isaiah 43-44 on it . It was given to me when my dad passed
away eight years ago. It really helped me through that time. I love the picture of
you ,Eric, and Nizar what a happy memory.
Lianne Hogg
Thank you David for the links…I enjoyed, once again, your interview with Nizar, and his testimony. Also the picture of your Grandson Eric’s water baptism. How wonderful to see the love he has for you!!
So special that the Lord knows our name. Today I read Psalm 139 again. He not only knows our name and calls us by name…He also knows all about us!!! How special is that?!!! He created us perfect in His sight!!! Glory to God!!!!
The picture of the river bed reminded me of this song:
“There’s a river of life flowing out of me, makes the lame to walk and the blind to see; opens prison doors sets the captives free; there’s a river of life flowing out of me. Spring up oh well within my soul, spring up oh well and make me whole, spring up oh well and give to me, that life abundantly”.
I thank you Lord for that river of life flowing out of me, for others to drink and live!!! Amen!!!
I almost cried when I saw the picture of you and your Grandson and Nizar. The look of genuine affection and love on all your faces is a true blessing from God!!!!
What a beautiful and wonderful photo.
I am so overwhelmed and amazed. I just listened to Nizar’s story! WOW!
I know that I STILL talk about the Lord removing smokes/alcohol from me 20 years ago and taking my broken leg and turn it into me learning to swim! The first happened April 16, 1995 Easter Sunday and went down to the beach after church with a friend and she spoke these words “We have the Holy Spirit that enables us to do more than we ever dreamt!” and I looked at her and I was in the middle of rolling a cigarette and I said “Your right Eva, you are absolutely right” and with that I dumped the smokes into the lake and that was that! Then April 26th (10 days later) I broke my leg and PRESO my life changed again!
I understand when Nizar mentioned it took a few more accidents to get his attention!
I have never smoked or drank since, and I was in a rehab program for my broken leg and eventually I got brave enough not to wear a life jacket in the pool and then one day WOW WOW WOW! I learned to swim! WHAT A BLESSING AND IT CAME FROM GOD!
what an exciting story from Nizar! What a blessing for him and his family and the Mainse’s family and only God could have planned the marriage!
PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW!