By: Woman of Joy-
Chloe Crockett
One of my favorite things is when someone remembers a detail about me. This could be anything as simple as remembering my name or remembering my favorite color. I’m sure you have had that happen before, someone remembering something about you that you did not expect them to remember. It feels great to feel known.
Obviously, we don’t expect even our closest friends to remember every single thing about us. And we don’t necessarily want them to know everything about us; However, God tells us that we are FULLY known by Him.
Psalm 139:1-2 says “Lord, you have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I stand up…”
God knows us better than we know ourselves. And even as he knows everything about us, he still loves us unconditionally. That’s always been hard to wrap my head around, but it's true!
We see how this comes into play in John 1.
Read with me John 1:43-46
"The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, 'Follow me.' Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, 'We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.' Nathanael said to him, 'Can anything good come out of Nazareth?' Philip said to him, 'Come and see.'"
To set the scene, Phillip is telling Nathanael that he has found the Messiah, Jesus. Nathanael clearly is not convinced. I imagine being in Nathanael’s shoes and finding it hard to believe that the person prophets had spoken of for years was just found on some random day. Philip understands his lack of belief and gives him an invitation to come see for himself.
Let’s pick up reading in John 1:47-49
"Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, 'Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!' Nathanael said to him, 'How do you know me?' Jesus answered him, 'Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.' Nathanael answered him, 'Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!'"
Now when Jesus sees Nathanael coming, he speaks of him as if he already knows him. Nathanael, who has never met Jesus, is evidently confused at how Jesus knows this about him. Jesus does not answer Nathanael’s question of how he knows that about him but, provides Nathanael with a deeper detail he knows about his life. Jesus shows how He fully knows Nathanael.
Not only does Jesus know that Nathanael was an Israelite or that he was under a fig tree, but Jesus also knows that Nathanael had doubts about him. Jesus could have easily turned His back to Nathanael because of his disbelief, but instead, Jesus chose to meet Nathanael where he was. He knew everything about Nathanael and used that knowledge to love him and encourage him.
God does this for us too. By sending Jesus to live on Earth, God humbled himself to our level to love us. He met us where we are as human beings surrounded by sin and the influence of the world. And that is only one of the ways he has met us in our need!
I hope you are encouraged by how the Lord fully knows us, fully loves us, and meets us where we are to guide us to finding joy in a life lived with Him. I also challenge you this week to be intentional with your own relationships. Do something to make someone feel known and loved.
Chloe Crockett is a sophomore at the University of South Carolina, originally from LaGrange, GA. She is currently studying Biology on the Pre-Medical Track.
Outside of school, Chloe is a part of YoungLife, where she has found an amazing Christian community.
She is very grateful to have this opportunity to share her love for the Lord with others!
Thank you so much for taking the time to read October's blog in the Women of JOY series. I pray that it inspires you and empowers you as you seek to find true JOY in Christ alone in any and all circumstances!
The Women of JOY blog series will offer you the pleasure of hearing from a different Woman of Joy on the last Monday of each month.
What about you? Are you a Woman of JOY with a story that you would like to share? I would love to hear about your journey of finding JOY in Jesus and consider you as a contributor to this series.
Simply email me at: jennifer@joyfullyhis.org
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