So, I finally hit 1Chronicles 10 this morning. After 4 mornings of working my way through the first 9 chapters of 1Chronicles it’s a bit of a relief to again encounter a storyline rather than just a list of names. That’s pretty much what you get as you read the first 400 verses of this book . . . names begetting names, people related to people, heavy on the genealogy, light on the biographical data. There’s a sense of accomplishment having read through it all . . . though I’d have to confess I wasn’t always really “engaged” . . . and beyond the few like Jabez, there’s not many of the names that I can really remember. So, again, when you get to 1Chronicles 10 and 11, and start reading about Saul and David, it feels good to be able to again follow along with a storyline.

But even here, there’s a lot of names. The latter portion of 1Chronicles 11 deals with the mighty men of David. A select group of 33 who distinguished themselves in their bravery and allegiance to the king. Some are mentioned only by name . . . some are named in the context of their mighty deeds . . . three are called out for their “above and beyond” dedication to the king and their bravery in going behind enemy lines to get the king a drink of water (11:16-19). But all 33 mighty men are named . . . even Uriah the Hittite (11:41) . . . one of David’s mighty men . . . the man David betrayed by sleeping with his wife, Bathsheba . . . the man David murdered in order to cover up his adulterous act . . . even this man’s name is recorded. So, do think God knows names?

And it makes me think, if God knows those names and God has preserved those names in His word through the millennia, why would I not think that He knows my name? Not that I’m a “mighty man” . . . but I am one of the King’s. Not that my name is anything special, but I desire to serve the One whose Name is above all names. And my name is written in a book (Php. 4:3, Rev. 3:5, Rev. 21:27) . . . the name of a sinner saved by grace . . . the name of a dead man made alive . . . the name of a new creation in Christ. And the same God who moved the ancient writers to record these names in 1Chronicles knows my name.

And it’s more than just my name that He knows. He knows how I’m wired . . . He wired me. He knows my strengths (short-list) and my weaknesses (much longer list). And there is something about meditating on the fact that God knows your name which can be both intimidating and so comforting . . . and motivating. Intimidating because it’s a reminder there’s no “faking it” before God. Comforting because it’s a reminder of the unconditional love of God . . . He being the one who sought me and called my name, brining me into relationship with Himself. Motivating because I want to hear Him use my name one day in a sentence that finishes with, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Oh to think that God knows names . . . and remembers names . . . and loves names.

Yup, a lot of names in this book of Chronicles . . . even more names in the Book of Life . . . and mine’s one of them . . . by His grace . . . and for His glory . . . amen.