He Knows Your Name

Exodus is one of my favorite books in the Old Testament. It is interesting to note that one of the main characters in the story of the Exodus is never named. The early chapters record the actions and dialog of Pharaoh. But “Pharaoh” is not a name. It’s a title. There were many Pharaohs over the centuries in ancient Egypt and we’re not sure which one was the Pharaoh of Exodus. To me, it’s interesting that the most powerful man on earth at the time is a main character in the account, but his name is never given.

What makes this even more striking is some of the names that we do know. We know, for instance, the names of the Hebrew midwives: Shiphrah and Puah. Moses’ wife’s name was Zipporah. We know that his father-in-law was named Jethro. Moses’ brother was Aaron, and their sister was named Miriam. As far as the world was concerned these people were nobodies. They were Hebrew slaves, unimportant and powerless as far as the world at large was concerned. But they’re named personally in God’s book. And the most powerful world leader is simply referred to as “Pharaoh.”

God obviously has a different standard of measurement than the world. The people who were judged as insignificant by the world in Jesus’ day were the ones he seemed to pay special attention to. He took time for the children, the sick, the outcasts and sinners. In Isaiah 55:8-9 we read, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts...”

Have you ever felt unimportant and insignificant? Rest assured that you are very precious to God. Don’t judge your worth by the standards of this world. God loves you so much He sent His Son to die for you. If you know Jesus as Lord and Savior, your name is in the book!

“But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.” (Matt 19:30)