He Knows My Name

July 28, 2021

Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

John 20:16

One of the joys of my life is my friendships.  I have an amazing support system.  People who have my back and look out for me.  Some were friends prior to my separation and divorce, like my Book Club.  They were my constant support through my divorce.  I worked with most of them, so they were there for me during difficult times during the workday.  Some, I’ve met since and during my divorce.  Some I’ve known for more years than I’ll admit.  Recently, I became reacquainted with friends from my past.  What an unexpected treat for me!  My good friend from ACU contacted me a few months ago via Facebook.  We reconnected, spoke on the phone and had 20+ years to catch up on!  This past weekend, I had a very spontaneous opportunity to see my best friend from high school at the home where she grew up.  How surreal to walk into that house after 35+ years.  I had spent as much time there as I did at my own home.  It was such a thrill hugging my friend after a very long time. It was like coming home.  I also have a strong family support system, with my sister being at the top.   I feel confident there would be someone I could call to help in an emergency.

This weekend I did have something happen.  It wasn’t an emergency but something that overwhelmed and disturbed me.  A series of text messages came to my phone from someone I don’t know that left me completely blindsided.  I needed to talk through it and process it.  I texted my sister, she called me back almost immediately.  I reached out to a friend from book club with a 911 Marco Polo message.  She called me immediately.  I called my friend from work; she took my call even though she was eating out with her family.  I also had friends that God knew I would want to talk to call me that day.  The minister from my church that oversees Divorce Care called to discuss the classroom arrangement for our upcoming session in the fall.  I was able to talk to him about it for few minutes.  A friend I have made from Divorce Care called me later that night to ask me a random question.  She stayed on the phone with me for 2 hours helping me process it all.   I have a tribe, several tribes in fact, for which I am so grateful. 

But honestly, before making all these texts and phone calls, I did reach out to God first.  He is my go-to for everything, every hurt, every loss, every fear, every victory.  It has become my habit to be in his presence.  To let the Holy Spirit lead me to scripture so I can hear God’s voice and He can guide me. 

This day I had a lot of people available for me but that has not always been the case.  There have been times when due to bad luck, no one was available at the exact time I wanted to talk.   Or was it bad luck?  Maybe God wanted me to learn to reach out to him first.  Maybe he wanted me to learn to lean on Him before reaching out to others.  As a friend in Florida often quotes, “In a time of crisis do we first go to the phone or to the Throne?”  God loves and cares for me.  He cares about the everyday frustrations in my life as well as the big, overwhelming problems that occur in life.   He cares about my victories too as they are always through Him.  I can call on God in prayer during the difficult as well as the good times in my life and he will always be there.  

“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.” Psalm 91:14

How comforting to me to know that God is so mighty, so caring, so protective of me. He knows my name!  Jesus knows my name just as my friends do!  When Jesus rose from the grave he appeared to Mary Magdalene.  She did not recognize him until he said her name, “Mary.”     He said her name.

The last part of Isaiah 43:1 says, “Do not fear for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.”   God told this to the Israelites after their sinful past.  He loves me and remembers my name despite my sins too. 

There was an old hymn we sang in church when I was growing up.   “What a Friend we have in Jesus.”  I will always remember one of the lyrics, “Oh what peace we often forfeit, oh what needless pain we bear.  All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.”   Yes, I value and love my friends and family so immensely.  They have been through some really insane times with me over the last 4 years, but so has God.  I apparently will continue to go through some insane times. But God will be there.  I can rest in his peace knowing this.  He is my friend, he is my confidant, he is my source of strength, he is my comforter, he is everything.  He knows my name and will always know my name.