God Knows Who You Are

Pray – (1/2 minute)

Read – (2 1/2 minutes) – “Now these are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles, . . . (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town, in company with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehamiah, Seriah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum and Baanah): The list of the people of Israel: the descendants of Parosh, 2172, of Shephatiah, 372, or Arah, 775 . . .” (Ezra 2:1-5)
     Passage: Psalm 139:13-18

         Back in the 1980’s, one of the most popular sitcoms was a show called “Cheers”. The show revolved around the relationships of people who were regulars at a bar in Boston. The theme song had a chorus that said, “You wanna go where people know, people are all the same. You wanna go where everybody knows your name.” That song captured the reality that people are wired with an innate desire to know and be known, to love and be loved. In the show, that desire was shown to be met in a bar, but God designed that desire to be fully met in the church as believers fulfill His purpose to love God and love people.
        One of the takeaways of the list that Ezra shared of the people that answered the call to return to Jerusalem is that God knows who you are. The family ancestors are listed by name and the specific numbers of male descendants who returned indicates that every one of them was listed in a registry by name. We often need name tags to identify people, but God knows every person in the world. He not only knows people by name, He knows every detail of their life, down to the hairs on their heads. (see Matthew 10:29-31) You are special to God!

Apply - (2 1/2 minutes)
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Pray - (1 1/2 minutes)