Do You Have A Deep Need To Be Known?

I’ve often wondered about the sound of my name as it drips from the mouth of God. What tone would He use to call me if I could hear Him audibly? Would my first name be accompanied by my middle name? Because we all know that means trouble. Would it be gentle? Maybe it would sound matter-of-fact.

From the time we are born it begins – the need to hear our names, the need to find favor. Not long ago I read The Five Love Languages and realized that words of affirmation are what I need for love to truly penetrate my heart. Those words matter most from my husband. I need to know He believes in what I do – a vocal reassurance to calm the questioning soul.

And, so , if I could hear God what would He sound like? What words would I hear from His mouth?

I remember studying Solomon and being flabbergasted by the grace of God in His life. We all know that Solomon went a little crazy with the women. Seriously, seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines?!?!? Are you kidding me? Where was his wisdom when he made those decisions?

Do you know that when he was born the text tells us the Lord loved him and sent the prophet Nathan to call him Jedidiah, which in Hebrew is Yedidya, meaning friend of God? (See 2 Samuel 12:24-25)

Father God is all knowing. He knew Solomon was imperfect and would lead an imperfect lifestyle way off the mark of holiness. And knowing everything about the future, He still called him friend.

And So if God were to say my name right now, would it sound like the familiar voice of a friend who loves me?

Here’s the thing: we all have a need to be known. We often want the stage, the twitter followers, the Facebook likes, the blog subscribers, the big house, the major cash flow. Whatever… we need to be known. I believe God puts that longing inside us, but we have a way of distorting it.

We should be asking ourselves some questions: Who do we long to know us? And why?

If we’re going to be real with each other, then I need to say something to myself and to you… The longing to be known should begin and end with Jesus. Yes, He knows the number of hairs on our heads. (See Luke 12:7) We seem to do a great job at using that verse to remember the power of His plan for us, but do we give Him permission to know the intimacies of our lives?

Listen, we all know He knows everything anyway, but if we don’t give Him permission then He can’t work inside us. It’s that darn free will again!

If we are going to live out our dreams and see the realities of God’s fingerprints, then we must long to be known by Him in a way that requires us knowing Him better and better with each coming day.

It’s okay to have dreams of growing ministries, business plans, and whatever else He’s placed within, but those longings cannot trump God.

God must be the number One; there’s just no other way to say it.

We’ve been studying Advent and maybe this doesn’t seem like an Advent kind of post, but friend, He sent His One and only Son to die on a tree for us, and right now, everywhere we look we’re seeing trees. They’re all lit up.

Every tree serves as a reminder that He was born to suffer and die on a plain tree with no lights. His only longing was to be known by His Father and live out His call with obedience – obedient blood that led to resurrection and life for us.

God plants a longing for us to be known – to be known by Him.

Perspective matters.

Hope is coming.

What does Hope have to say?

Love,

Jennifer