"He Called Me By My First Name"

"He fashions their hearts individually; He considers all their works." Ps. 33: 15

One of the three presidents under whose tenure I have either attended school or served to date recounted an experience he had while visiting the General Conference (GC) office. He had an appointment to see the president of the GC. He recalled waiting well beyond the time that he was to see the World Church leader; well beyond the limit of his usual patience. He only stayed because he understood the protocol at work, as well as the nature of the work as an administrator. But in telling us the story, as he shared it during a general assembly, he was not griping; he just wanted to share with us how amazingly instantaneously his "rage" (my word) was quelled, when the GC president came out and called him by his first name. His voice and manner was calm, personable and apologetic. And to top it off, they were to have lunch together (not in the original plan).

Our Creator God, who operates in the currency of eternity, appears often lethargic and delayed to us who operate on a time budget. This is arguably why so many of us prefer to rely on people and things (verses 16 and 17) that we can manipulate to our suit. The Psalmist here reminds us that God has veto powers, "He brings the counsel of the nations to naught," (verse 10); He's sovereign over all... bar none. What's more, He fashions our "hearts individually; He considers all (our) works," (verse 15).

Why not sit and patiently wait on Him; He really does have you/me in mind you know. And like the GC president would have decided beforehand to do lunch with my president, I hear Jesus in Revelation 3: 20 saying, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." We're not lost in the vast numbers that God has to deal with. He knows us individually and desires personal communion with us. Isaiah captures it beautifully, "But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine." Isa 43: 1.

Do enjoy this beautiful song, "Now I belong to Jesus," http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5B3QmHrJJn8.

This reading is based on Psalm 33.  To read and/or listen to Psalm 33 and to read other related blogs, please click here.