He Knows My Name

I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

Psalm 27: 13 NIV®

When you choose to see things from God’s perspective, it changes how you feel. The only thing keeping your old negative feelings in place is your thinking. As he thinks in his heart, so is he (Proverbs 23: 7 KJV). When you start thinking the right way, your life starts going the right way. However, you didn’t become negative overnight and you won’t become positive overnight.

So how do you start?

1) REPLACE: your negative thinking with thoughts that are ‘praiseworthy’ (Philippians 4: 8 NIV). Deal with destructive thoughts the way you deal with flies at a picnic; shoo them away. With practice and persistence you can do it. You have that choice!

2) REMEMBER: before you take on the future, recall God’s goodness to you in the past. Shakespeare said, ’Let never day nor night unhallowed pass, but still remember what the Lord hath done’. David said I would have lost heart unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart (Psalm 27: 13–14 NKJV). We don’t have more problems than other people, we just think about them more often.

STOP AND REREAD THE LAST SENTENCE!
If you don’t believe that, try feeling angry without first having angry thoughts, or feeling sad without having sad thoughts. To experience a feeling, you must first entertain the thought that produces it. That’s life-changing information – and it will change your life as you act on it!” (Source: ‘Word for Today’ United Christian Broadcasters (UCB)

OUR GOD IS OMNIPOTENT
God’s ability to do whatever is consistent with His character and being in effecting the divine plan for Creation.  God’s omnipotence is primarily demonstrated in God’s overturning evil for good.
GOD IS OMNIPRESENT
He is present everywhere in Creation at the same time- all things are present to God. Consequently there is nowhere in the universe that lies beyond the knowledge (and care) of God.
GOD IS OMNISCIENT
He knows all things. All things are present to the divine mind; that is God has direct perception of everything in Creation. (The Hodder Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms).  So God knows everything about us, He created us and knew us from before we were born. God is all-seeing, all-knowing, all-powerful and everywhere present. Psalm 139 sets out the extent to which God knows us. He loves us with an everlasting love and wants us to know Him. I will not forget you. See I have engraved you on the palms of my hands. (Isaiah 49: 15–16).

Let us pray:
Father God, you have brought us to the dawn of a new day.
The fact that we are awake means that we have another opportunity to begin life anew;
and spend time in your Word.
Father, help us to share our joy, and shine your light and love on others today.
We pray for all who are suffering the loss of loved ones;
we pray for comfort and healing of those in hospitals, care homes and nursing homes;
we remember and pray for healing of those who are out of hospital
and will have a long recovery from the coronavirus.
In our own lives, help us to put aside anxiety, fears, negative thoughts, words, actions;
and instead build up our Faith and Trust in you.
In the Bible we are told over 300 times ’Fear Not’.
We have a responsibility to take care of ourselves –
through proper nutrition, exercise and rest, especially at this time.
Help us to be mindful of each other;
and as the ‘lockdown’ is being eased
let us remember to show consideration
by social distancing in business places, supermarkets, and churches.

He knows my name,
He knows my every thought,
He sees each tear that falls,
And hears me when I call.

Glynne Gordon-Carter