Knowing God Well

“Those who know your name trust you, O Lord, because you have never deserted those who seek your help.” Psalm 9:10

“I can’t believe George did such a thing. Was he able to afford the money he gave to that family in need? He isn’t wealthy; probably barely in the lowest reaches of middle class. I hope he is cautious and is taking care of himself.”

“Oh, my friend. If you knew George, you wouldn’t be surprised at all. It is simply in his nature.”

That short exchange informs the meaning behind the phrase “those who know your name.” The first person knew the man’s name was “George”. But, simply knowing his name didn’t enlighten anything about George’s character. He might see George on the street, greet him by name, and go on his day without a moment’s forgetfulness about his acquaintances moniker.

“If you knew George…” This is what the Psalmist means when he speaks of knowing God’s name. It is not a matter of correctly pronouncing the ancient syllables of YHWH, or joining a religious group that insists God must be called by a particular name, or even correctly ending each prayer with, “in Jesus’ name”.

The person who really “knew” George was not surprised at all that he was generous to a fault. It was his expected behavior. But only a certain number of people knew that; the number who had taken the time to know George well.

Those who have taken time to truly connect with God are the ones who trust Him well. I must confess to relearning His faithfulness over and over again. Anxiety is, sadly, familiar territory for me. But, as I think about how well Father-God has treated me, in spite of my failings and half-hearted attempts in this mutual relationship, the more encouraged I am to trust Him well.

Sometimes we’re unsure about God’s intentions. After all, we have trusted close friends in the past only to have them turn their back upon discovering the “dark side” of our moon-like life. Bracing ourselves courageous, we turn the unrevealed portion around, and once visible, some simply cannot handle the frailty we uncovered. It is not their fault. Seeing the darkness in another only makes us aware of our own unvisited regions; the places we rarely admit to ourselves.

So, we become more careful. There is wisdom in learning who and when to open our hearts to. But, there is never a reason to hide them from God. Yes, He is purer than any human friend. He is righteous and holy, the polar opposite of all we fear in ourselves. But the Psalmist is so certain of God’s acceptance that he insists God will never desert those who seek Him!

There was a time in my life when I thought “seeking the Lord” was about long hours spent kneeling at the front of the church. Those who hung out the longest were, of course, the most spiritual. I would make sure, as I knelt, that I was aware who was still kneeling and who was up and around. If a fair majority of those I esteemed mature had gotten up from prayer, then I felt I could as well. I had at least outlasted some well-known saints!

There is time for long seasons of prayer. There needs to be time given to developing our relationship with God. But if we see it as nothing more than a spiritual marathon, we either wear ourselves out in the attempt to put on spiritual muscle; or we build a Christian façade that appears very holy to onlookers. “Look at Mark, he was praying a good 15 minutes after everyone else left! Wow, I wish I was like him.”

“Seek the Lord” has taken a new, fresh and more relational turn for me. I do pray. I do try to spend good amounts of time in quietness before God. But what if I also seek Him in the occurrences of the day. What if the knock on the door is no longer an intrusion but a moment to “seek the Lord”. I ask myself, “Father, how are you ‘in’ this person who just came to my home?”

Perhaps we desired a career that would take us places. We dreamed of big cities, traveling the country, and a big paycheck besides. But, what if, simply because of the way life played out, your career veered an entirely different direction and now, halfway through adulthood you must face the fact that the “old dream” probably will not come to pass? What if “seeking the Lord” means that we ask a new question: “Father-God, I wanted a different career. Yet, here I am, nowhere near my dream. Let me see You, now; right now, in the middle of my disappointment.”

I believe that person would soon come to a realization that the Lord had not deserted him at all. Though the specific dream was not accomplished, Father-God was still in the circumstances of his life.

Today I want to know God well, seeking Him, even in the middle of my disappointments.