Known and Loved

READ: PSALM 139

Have you ever had a moment when you realized that someone really knows you? I had a moment like this with my housemate recently, and it made me feel so loved.

I had been feeling overwhelmed and depressed for a few days. My husband took our kids to run some errands so I could get some time to finish up my work for the week and do something restful. I sat on my bed, trying to figure out how best to plan my day. Should I make breakfast and eat it here, or go to a coffee shop to get breakfast while I work? I tried to get my sluggish, exhausted brain to think through the options. I don’t make decisions quickly in the best of times, and I operate even more slowly when I’m not feeling great.

My housemate, Jenn, knocked on the bedroom door and told me she was going to pick up some breakfast at a nearby fast-food restaurant and asked if I wanted any. This very kind offer meant that I now had a third option to consider. I mumbled something about not being sure, and she quickly said, “I’ll give you a minute to think about it,” and walked away. I smiled internally and thought, She knows me. Jenn has been my friend for over a decade, and she knew that I needed a moment by myself to think things through. A minute or two later I walked out and accepted her offer.

Little moments like these remind me of how God knows us. He knows the very hairs on our heads (Matthew 10:29-30). He knows how we operate. He knows our good days and our bad days. He knows exactly what we need. And He loves us.

Being known can be a scary thing. But not with God. Because He won’t ever use that knowledge to hurt us. Instead, He draws us ever closer to Himself. Jesus died and rose again to make the way for us to be with Him. And to be known by a God like that is the best thing I can imagine. • Taylor Eising

• Can you think of a time when you’ve felt known? What was it like?

• How could it be comforting to know that God knows you and loves you?

O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. Psalm 139:1 (NLT)