Do you ever wonder if anyone even knows you exist? Does anyone really care?
What about the Lord? Have you ever questioned whether God even knows about you or that you matter to Him? Hopefully, you have never been plagued by such thoughts. However, having the assurance that someone—especially the Lord—knows you and cares for you is a basic spiritual need.
If you have ever struggled in this area, I hope the Bible passages and insights shared in this letter will be a great encouragement to you. Let me assure you from the very start: the Lord knows your name, and He does indeed care very much for you.
Prior to a recent staff gathering, we were reviewing the prayer list for the day. At the top of the list was a young couple—dear friends of Derek Prince Ministries—who are facing some major challenges. They had made a major move to a new town where they felt isolated and all alone. What’s more, in the midst of their loneliness, the husband had been hit with severe health problems, including a diagnosis of an aggressive form of cancer.
While traveling near the area where they live, my wife, Cindi, and I made a side trip to visit with them and pray for them. They were so grateful that someone they loved and trusted would reach out to them in this way, and we assured them of the continuing prayers of our staff. As Cindi shared with DPM staff members about our visit, she voiced the very theme of this letter: “When you’re facing that kind of isolation and attack, it’s comforting to realize that God does know your name.”
Even when we aren’t facing a crisis, it is vital for each of us to know this profound truth: “God knows my name.”
In an ensuing face-to-face interchange, Moses reminded God: “Yet You have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found grace in My sight’” (v. 12). Then Moses pinpointed the unmistakable indicator of God’s grace and care for the children of Israel. What was it? His presence with them.
That is such an important principle. Isn’t God’s presence with us the primary conveyance of His grace, favor and good will? So much so, in fact, that Moses protested to the Lord in verse 15, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.” So the Lord, reassuring Moses in a change of heart that His Presence would indeed go with them, responded with these words in verse 17: “I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace [favor] in My sight, and I know you by name.”
A Deliberate Decision
The ramifications of these truths modeled by Moses are incredibly significant for our lives. Other leaders might have settled for second best: they would have been okay with the fact that God wasn’t going with them. After all, there would be angelic help for the journey, and there was still the prospect of a life of fulfillment in the Promised Land.
That wasn’t enough for Moses. He insisted: “If You know my name, and if I have found grace in Your sight, it is essential You make the trip with us. Nothing less will do.”
Do you feel the same way? Do you believe the Lord knows your name, and that His favor is upon you? If that is true, then you can walk out that belief, experiencing His presence as it graces your life, your family, your work and your future.
Believing this and living in this reality is crucial. Your decision makes all the difference, as the following section demonstrates. My wife’s father, Don Basham, loved to quote a dear old friend—a spiritual troubadour named Rufus Moseley. In The Way I See It, Don included the following quote—one of Brother Rufus’ classic insights: “God is always voting for us; the devil is always voting against us; and the way we vote carries the election.”
Our deliberate decision to trust that the Lord knows our name will make all the difference in how you and I live as followers of Jesus Christ.
In his radio teaching called The Sheepfold, Derek Prince touches on themes connected with the Lord’s care for us. Although The Sheepfold focuses primarily on the parable of the Shepherd and His sheep from John 10, Derek also includes this truth from Psalm 23 regarding the reality of God’s presence.
What about the Lord? Have you ever questioned whether God even knows about you or that you matter to Him? Hopefully, you have never been plagued by such thoughts. However, having the assurance that someone—especially the Lord—knows you and cares for you is a basic spiritual need.
If you have ever struggled in this area, I hope the Bible passages and insights shared in this letter will be a great encouragement to you. Let me assure you from the very start: the Lord knows your name, and He does indeed care very much for you.
We Need to Know
Prior to a recent staff gathering, we were reviewing the prayer list for the day. At the top of the list was a young couple—dear friends of Derek Prince Ministries—who are facing some major challenges. They had made a major move to a new town where they felt isolated and all alone. What’s more, in the midst of their loneliness, the husband had been hit with severe health problems, including a diagnosis of an aggressive form of cancer.
While traveling near the area where they live, my wife, Cindi, and I made a side trip to visit with them and pray for them. They were so grateful that someone they loved and trusted would reach out to them in this way, and we assured them of the continuing prayers of our staff. As Cindi shared with DPM staff members about our visit, she voiced the very theme of this letter: “When you’re facing that kind of isolation and attack, it’s comforting to realize that God does know your name.”
Even when we aren’t facing a crisis, it is vital for each of us to know this profound truth: “God knows my name.”
His Presence with Us
In the last few weeks, this principle came alive to me in a fresh way as I studied an amazing exchange between the Lord and Moses in Exodus 33. It started with the Lord’s command for Moses to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. In verse 3, God included some unsettling news: He would not be going with them—but they still needed to go.
In an ensuing face-to-face interchange, Moses reminded God: “Yet You have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found grace in My sight’” (v. 12). Then Moses pinpointed the unmistakable indicator of God’s grace and care for the children of Israel. What was it? His presence with them.
That is such an important principle. Isn’t God’s presence with us the primary conveyance of His grace, favor and good will? So much so, in fact, that Moses protested to the Lord in verse 15, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.” So the Lord, reassuring Moses in a change of heart that His Presence would indeed go with them, responded with these words in verse 17: “I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace [favor] in My sight, and I know you by name.”
A Deliberate Decision
The ramifications of these truths modeled by Moses are incredibly significant for our lives. Other leaders might have settled for second best: they would have been okay with the fact that God wasn’t going with them. After all, there would be angelic help for the journey, and there was still the prospect of a life of fulfillment in the Promised Land.
That wasn’t enough for Moses. He insisted: “If You know my name, and if I have found grace in Your sight, it is essential You make the trip with us. Nothing less will do.”
Do you feel the same way? Do you believe the Lord knows your name, and that His favor is upon you? If that is true, then you can walk out that belief, experiencing His presence as it graces your life, your family, your work and your future.
Believing this and living in this reality is crucial. Your decision makes all the difference, as the following section demonstrates. My wife’s father, Don Basham, loved to quote a dear old friend—a spiritual troubadour named Rufus Moseley. In The Way I See It, Don included the following quote—one of Brother Rufus’ classic insights: “God is always voting for us; the devil is always voting against us; and the way we vote carries the election.”
Our deliberate decision to trust that the Lord knows our name will make all the difference in how you and I live as followers of Jesus Christ.
Counting on His Presence
In his radio teaching called The Sheepfold, Derek Prince touches on themes connected with the Lord’s care for us. Although The Sheepfold focuses primarily on the parable of the Shepherd and His sheep from John 10, Derek also includes this truth from Psalm 23 regarding the reality of God’s presence.
We’re continuing with the shepherd’s provision for each of His sheep as outlined by David in Psalm 23.
We’ll look now at the fourth verse: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.” nas
What does that mean? I believe it means that we are guaranteed the personal presence of the Lord—even in the lonely, dark hours. And let me say to you, frankly, there are very few of us who will not pass—at some time or another—through those lonely, dark hours.
We’ll look now at the fourth verse: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.” nas
What does that mean? I believe it means that we are guaranteed the personal presence of the Lord—even in the lonely, dark hours. And let me say to you, frankly, there are very few of us who will not pass—at some time or another—through those lonely, dark hours.
I do not believe that the Valley of the Shadow of Death is simply the moment we come to die physically. I could quote many Scriptures to show you that it refers to any time of great darkness and oppression and loneliness. And there are such valleys in the life of almost every one of us.
Let’s be realistic. Life is NOT just a bed of roses. There’s a lot more to it than that. And God does not promise us that we will not go through that valley. In fact, David assumes in a certain sense that he will go through the valley. But he says, “When I go through the valley, I’m going to count on Your presence. You will not leave me nor forsake me.”
There are valleys in our experience that no one else can see us through—valleys of loneliness, bereavement, and sickness. Nobody else may be able to communicate with us, but the Lord is there beside our bed—right there with us.
Let’s be realistic. Life is NOT just a bed of roses. There’s a lot more to it than that. And God does not promise us that we will not go through that valley. In fact, David assumes in a certain sense that he will go through the valley. But he says, “When I go through the valley, I’m going to count on Your presence. You will not leave me nor forsake me.”
There are valleys in our experience that no one else can see us through—valleys of loneliness, bereavement, and sickness. Nobody else may be able to communicate with us, but the Lord is there beside our bed—right there with us.