God knows your name
As some of you may know if you read my last post, I’m currently reading through Exodus. Now, for those of you who have read Exodus before, you’ll know that the star of the show (okay, apart from God) is Moses. Moses hears from God on behalf of the people, Moses leads the people out of Egypt, Moses meets with God face to face(!) at the top of a mountain. He’s a leader, He wholeheartedly obeys God (apart from that one time in Numbers…). If you haven’t read Exodus, you should. Adventure, God speaking to His children and a faithful and obedient leader.
Today, however, alongside the journey of Moses I read of another man of God, Bezalel:
The Lord said to Moses, “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft. (Exodus 32:1-5)
Bezalel. Not the star of the show, not mentioned continuously throughout the book. But, filled with the spirit of God, able, intelligent, knowledgeable and skilful. When I’m not allowing pride to do my thinking for me, I know that the things that are said about Bezalel far outweigh the need to be the star. The most important of his list of attributes though, The Lord calls Bezalel by name. God knows his name.
Even better than God knowing Bezalel’s name is that God knows your name.
“But now thus says the Lord, he who created you… “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. (Isaiah 43:1)
Perhaps you’re the star of the show. There’s nothing wrong with that, God knew Moses’ name too. But perhaps you’re the person who feels as though they’re always overlooked, left until the end or an afterthought. But you’re not an afterthought. God knows your name. Also similar to Bezalel, God’s given you certain gifts and appointed you for certain tasks. There’s nothing secondary or mediocre about your being here. What has God gifted you in? What has He called you to?
That’s where we come back to our ‘star’, Moses. In Exodus 4:2, God asks him what’s in his hand. Before Moses became someone who had regular interactions with God, he helped his father in law, Jethro shepherd a flock. An actual flock. Of sheep. Therefore, he had a staff. And so at the point God asks Moses what’s in his hand, that’s what was there. A staff. An ordinary staff. This same, ordinary staff is what God uses and what Moses later supernaturally uses to perform signs and wonders to the people.
So, what’s in your hand? What has God given you ability in? For Moses, it was a staff. For Bezalel, it was an eye for artistic design and detail. The Lord used both of these mightily for His glory.
Whether star of the show or backstage, God has given you unique abilities and skills which He wants you to recognise and use. Use them, because He knows your name and has called you by it.
