He Knows Your Name

Anyone that knows me knows that I’m a talker.  I’m a people person and I love getting to know someone’s story.  And I’ve written before about my hobby job.  (For those who don’t know, I work from home in California for the hospital in my hometown.  And BECAUSE I’m a talker, I went and got a small part time job at Boudin here in Roseville so that I could be around people!)

One of my favorite things about this job is learning our regular guests’ names when they come in to get their lunch.  I love to remember who they are and what they usually order!  They’ll laugh when I tell them they’re throwing me off by buying something different.  Sometimes, their eyes light up and get excited when I ask them how newly married life is or how their son is doing in football this season.  It just makes me happy to connect to someone.

I know this probably feels like a lot of back story, but indulge me!  I have a guest who comes in every week after ordering online and just tells me her name, takes her bag from me and leaves.  She’s pleasant but I haven’t had a chance to really talk to her.  I have, however, gotten to know who she is by name.  The last few times she’s come in I’ve said, “Hey, Debbie!  How’s it going,” repeated her order to her and told her to have a great day.

Last week, she didn’t just say ‘thank you’ and leave the counter.  She stopped and said this to me, “Erin, it amazes me that you know me just by seeing me when I walk in.  You make me feel so special that you know who I am!  You just made my day!”  It was a great feeling for me to know she felt that way!

God sees us too.  In John 10:3, Jesus say, “To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.”  He goes on to say in verse 14, “I am the good shepherd, I know My own and My own know Me.”

He knows who we are.  Sometimes, we feel as if we’re just existing in this world.  Everyday life comes at us, sometimes good and sometimes bad.  Maybe you feel as if you’re unnoticed and alone.  Perhaps you feel unworthy.  I’m here to tell you that you are not an afterthought to our Heavenly Father.  You are known and you are loved.  He knows your name.  He knows your heart and your hurts.  You are His.  And you are special.

~Erin