REFLECTION

Are You Known?

"REFLECTIONS" pages are encouragement for you taken directly from Scripture.  We invite you to let these truths sink down deep inside you, and to begin to know, understand and feel Comfort directly from our Father in heaven, designed especially for you and where you are at in life!  Please take time for the Pause, Reflect and Receive at the end of every REFLECTION.

One of the human core needs described in Comfort.Guide is "Belonging".  That means we feel we are part of a family or group, and we know others, and we are known in return.  It means loneliness, feeling alone in a crowd, feeling sometimes like the "odd man out", might only be occasional passing feelings as opposed to pervading, deep down, fundamentally embedded feelings.  "Belonging" brings comfort!!!

In the first chapter of Luke's Gospel, we read of two visits by angels.  The first is to Zachariah, telling him he is to be a father (his son became known as John the Baptist), and the second is to Mary, telling her she is to be a mother of a special son.  Here are the two stories:

1) "When Zechariah saw (the angel), he was startled and gripped with fear.  But the angel said to him: 'Do not be afraid; your prayer (for a child) has been heard.  Your wife will bear you a son.  He will be a joy and a delight to you and many will rejoice because of his birth...'"

2) "The angel went to her (Mary) and said, 'Greetings, you who are highly favored!  The Lord is with you.  ...Do not be afraid, you have found favor with God.  You will be with child and will give birth to a son.  He will be great and will be called the Most High...'"

Interesting, right?  The only problem is that a few words have been intentionally omitted.  Here are the actual verses with the omitted words inserted: 

1) "When Zechariah saw (the angel), he was startled and gripped with fear.  But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer (for a child) has been heard.  Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.  He will be a joy and a delight to you and many will rejoice because of his birth...

2) "The angel went to her (Mary) and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored!  The Lord is with you."  ...Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.  You will be with child and will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.  He will be great and will be called the Most High..."

(NIV version)

Many of us have read these words repeatedly, especially at Christmastime.  But stop for a minute and consider how the names are such a basic part of these Scriptures.  It was important for God's messenger angel to mention specific names to and for specific people.  These were NOT generic announcements about some important spiritual events; rather they tell us that God knew names, that God knew personalities, that God had a well thought out plan.  He was personally involved!

In Psalm 147 we read: "He (God) determines the number of stars and calls each of them by name."  (Astronomers tell us there are billions of stars, yes, billions, each with a name given to them by their creator!!!)

In John 10, as Jesus was describing Himself as "The Good Shepherd", he says that He "calls his own sheep by name and leads them...".  When Jesus told the story of the Good Shepherd leaving the 99 sheep and finding the lost one ... could you name all 100 sheep and remember which sheep was which?  Could their varying habits and "personalities" be noticeable to you?  We probably couldn't, but He can and does!

You have a name, you are known, you are God's own, and there is a plan for your life.  You are meant to "inherit" these truths and own them as your very own today!  No need to wait!  Be comforted today by these truths!


At the end of various readings in Comfort.Guide, we will have a "Pause", "Reflect" and "Receive" section.  The purpose of this exercise is to help you better understand and to personally absorb the encouragement Comfort.Guide offers.  If you would like, visit the "HOW TO USE" page for a review of "Pause, Reflect and Receive".


PAUSE … Invite Him to be with you; let Him quiet you with His Love.


REFLECT… What is God saying to you?

Rewrite … It would be easy to think that you are invisible to God, that He might be distant, or simply has bigger things and more important people to attend to.  Can you see that belief as a lie?  Can you see clearly that believing that will create distance between you and God?

Revive … Can you sense that you are personally named and deeply known, and this knowledge and belief will lead to a deep and lasting revival in you?

Redeem … How would this realization change feelings of loneliness and "not belonging"?  


RECEIVE … Ask the Holy Spirit to clearly reveal this new realization of your special unique place, and ask that this great news would then sink deeply into your mind and spirit!  YES, HE DOES SEE YOU!


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Click HERE to go to "Week Three Bridge"