Does God Know Your Name?

Have you ever considered what it truly means to know someone? It goes beyond recognizing a face in a crowd or recalling a name from a distant memory. To know someone deeply means understanding their heart, celebrating their joys, and perhaps even sharing their burdens. It's about a bond built on connection, trust, and shared experience. These are the people we call friends.

In a world bustling with fleeting interactions and superficial connections, it's easy to wonder about the nature of our most significant relationships. But what about our relationship with the Divine? Does God know you in that profound, intimate way? This isn't just a theological question; it's a deeply personal one that touches the core of our spiritual journey.

God's Intimate Knowledge

The Bible paints a powerful picture of God's intimate knowledge of certain individuals, often referring to them in ways that highlight a profound friendship.

Consider Enoch, of whom it is written: "God knew Enock and he walked with him until he was no more." Imagine that companionship, that daily presence of the Divine! What an extraordinary testament to a relationship so close that Enoch simply "was no more" because God took him.

Then there's Job, whom God Himself identified as a faithful servant, even boasting of him to Satan. As Job 1:8 states, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and turns away from evil." God knew Job his faithful servant. What a remarkable affirmation of Job's character and his unwavering relationship with the Almighty! This verse also highlights Job's exceptional righteousness and emphasizes that he stands out among all others as blameless, upright, and God-fearing. 

But the examples don't stop there. Abraham, the patriarch of faith, is repeatedly called "the friend of God" (2 Chronicles 20:7; Isaiah 41:8; James 2:23). God even revealed His plans to Abraham, saying in Genesis 18:17, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do...?" This level of shared confidence speaks volumes about their deep bond.

Another towering figure with an unparalleled relationship with God is Moses. Exodus 33:11 describes their communion in a truly unique way: "Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend." Imagine conversing with the Almighty in such an open and direct manner! Moses's intercessions for Israel, often changing God's mind, further illustrate the profound respect and intimacy in their relationship.

These examples prompt a deeply personal question: Does God know you like that?

The Warning: "I Never Knew You"

The stark warning in Matthew 7:23 chills us to the bone: "Away from me, I never knew you." This echoes the unsettling thought: "will he say away from me I never knew you as he did in Matthew 7:23?" These are not the words of a distant, uncaring deity, but a heartbreaking pronouncement of unfamiliarity. It begs the crucial question: what distinguishes those God knows intimately from those He does not?

Becoming Friends with God

The answer lies in friendship. Jesus himself tells his disciples in John 15:15: "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you." And James 2:23 reminds us that Abraham was even called a "friend of God." As the text powerfully emphasizes, "We need to become friends of God by knowing Him and walking with Him, John 15:15, James 2:23."

Friendship isn't a passive state; it demands intentionality. It requires time spent together, open communication, shared experiences, and a growing understanding of one another. 

How to Cultivate This Friendship

So, how do we cultivate this friendship with God? How do we move from being a stranger to someone He knows intimately?

• By Knowing Him: Just as we get to know a human friend by spending time with them, we get to know God through His Word, the Bible. It reveals His character, His desires, His promises, and His profound love for us.

• By Walking with Him Faithfully: Enoch's story highlights the importance of consistent companionship. Walking with God means making Him an integral part of our daily lives – in our decisions, our conversations, our joys, and our sorrows. It means living in a way that honors Him and reflects His presence in our hearts.

Becoming a friend of God is not about grand gestures or religious performance; it's about cultivating a genuine connection of the heart. It's about seeking Him, listening to His guidance, and responding to His boundless love.

Let us strive to be known by God, not as distant acquaintances, but as cherished friends. As the initial prompt encouraged: "Let us become friends with God, let us walk with Him faithfully and be known by him." So that when our time on earth is done, we will not hear the devastating words, "I never knew you," but rather a warm and welcoming, "Well done, good and faithful friend." 

Exploring life, one thought at a time,
Yours dearly, Rumishael