"I know my own sheep.." John 10:14-15 (MSG)

One of the things I have been asking the Lord, “Do you know me?”  I spend an inordinate amount of time getting to know the Lord, praying and seeking Him, but is it reciprocal?  

I believe that this passage indicates that He does know us intimately, even if we don’t sense it or feel it, He knows us.  I shared this personal concern in my Home Church on Wednesday night and there were varying responses, but the one which impacted me the most was that I trust Him by the revelation of His intimate presence in my life that He loves me, and I trust Him by His promises declared to me by His word spoken to me.

Academically I know that God is the source of all intelligence concerning His creation; by His nature, He knows all things. Although there are theists who believe that God as an 'impersonal force' of some kind, much like to the 'Force' in Star Wars, I have found that God is, in fact not only personal but more personal than I ever could have imagined. This is due to God's omniscience. 

We are all created in His image, and all that we think and know is found in God's complete knowledge. This knowledge extends naturally to His creation, as does His love.

“I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.” Jeremiah 29:11 (MSG)

I find that when I trust these promises that I have peace and confidence that this benevolent God knows me and pursues my welfare, however, it isn’t enough that He cares for my future and my immediate needs, it gets much more personal than that;

“This is the kind of love we are talking about—not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they’ve done to our relationship with God.” 1 John 4:10 (MSG)

How could this benevolent God come to earth as a man and reverse the curse of sin?  I realize that Adam who was a man brought the sin curse upon this world by disobeying God, it took God who was divine to step down and become a man to reverse or dispel the curse of sin as a man and pay the penalty for it so that we could be restored to a right relationship with Him again.  Do I fully understand it, no I don't, but God doesn't require me to understand it, He requires me to believe it

“My sheep recognize my voice. I know them, and they follow me.”  John 10:27 (MSG)

We are God’s family and have been separated from God since the time of Adam, and now we are brought near to God’s presence by His Son, who has restored us and given us access.  This access isn’t just general but intimate access.  We are loved by the God who created us and wants to interact with us.

A shepherd knows his sheep intimately.  He knows the ones who stay close and the ones who are prone to wander off away from the flock into a place of danger.  He is always on guard to watch for the wolves who would attack the sheep and cause them harm or even death.  

The shepherd will even leave the sheep to search for the stray and has great joy when the stray lamb has been found and has been reunited with the flock.

 “Think of it this way: If a man owns a hundred sheep and one lamb wanders away and is lost, won’t he leave the ninety-nine grazing on the hillside and go out and thoroughly search for the one lost lamb? And if he finds his lost lamb, he rejoices over it, more than over the ninety-nine who are safe. Now you should understand that it is never the desire of your heavenly Father that a single one of these humble believers should be lost.” Matthew 18:12-14 (TPT)

Someone once said that they didn't believe in God because if there was a God, such a being would be too busy for the minutiae of their life- but isn't that exactly the kind of God you would want?  

And that is the kind of God that we have, so much so that King David looked at himself in comparison to the moon and the vastness of the stars, and he was humbled by the fact that God cares about humankind.

“Look at the splendor of your skies, your creative genius glowing in the heavens. When I gaze at your moon and your stars, mounted like jewels in their settings, I know you are the fascinating artist who fashioned it all!  But when I look up and see such wonder and workmanship above, I have to ask you this question:  Compared to all this cosmic glory, why would you bother with puny, mortal man or be infatuated with Adam’s sons?” Psalm 8:3-4 (TPT)

What I have found in my study is that I am awestruck by the fact that God knows me and loves me. He is a personal God who cares about me and wants to interact with me.  Sure, I may spend my time pursuing Him, but He also spends His time pursuing me.

Do you know Him?  He knows you and loves you!  If there is any doubt in your mind, then put yourself in my shoes and let this short study convince you that God finds you more important than anything else, and will look for you when you are wandering off and leave what He is doing to pursue after you to bring you home.  You are His family, his child.

Be Blessed;

Stephen Barnett