Who Counts?

Abraham was told to look up at the sky ( Genesis 15:5) and if he could number the stars, that was representative of his offspring. Who can number the stars? What a promise! What a blessing! God singled out this one man through whom to begin working out a great plan for the ultimate blessing of people from all nations. ( Genesis 22:18)

One of the psalmists declared regarding God…
“(4) He determines the number of THE STARS; HE GIVES TO ALL OF THEM THEIR NAMES. (5) Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.” ( Psalm 147:4 ESV)

And in Isaiah we read…
“Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? HE WHO BRINGS OUT THEIR HOST BY NUMBER, CALLING THEM ALL BY NAME, by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power not one is missing.” ( Isaiah 40:26 ESV)

Though we cannot count the stars, God knows each one of them that He has created and calls them BY NAME. If God is so intimately mindful of that part of His creation, why should we ever question His awareness of each individual as the part of His creation created in His image?

When God asked Moses to number the males of Israel who were twenty years and older able to go to war ( Numbers 1:2-3) He did not leave it to Moses to select a representative to help with the counting. Instead, God chose one man from each of the twelve tribes, mentioning each one BY NAME.

God told Moses…
“(5) And THESE ARE THE NAMES OF THE MEN WHO SHALL ASSIST YOU. From Reuben, ELIZUR the son of Shedeur; (6) from Simeon, SHELUMIEL the son of Zurishaddai; (7) from Judah, NAHSHON the son of Amminadab; (8) from Issachar, NETHANEL the son of Zuar; (9) from Zebulun, ELIAB the son of Helon; (10) from the sons of Joseph, from Ephraim, ELISHAMA the son of Ammihud, and from Manasseh, GAMALIEL the son of Pedahzur; (11) from Benjamin, ABIDAN the son of Gideoni; (12) from Dan, AHIEZER the son of Ammishaddai; (13) from Asher, PAGIEL the son of Ochran; (14) from Gad, ELIASAPH the son of Deuel; (15) from Naphtali, AHIRA the son of Enan.” ( Numbers 1:5-15 ESV)

Not only did God mention these twelve individuals from all the nation of Israel BY NAME, but noted the names of their fathers as well. Those names may not mean much to us, but to the individuals named, God’s personal acknowledgement of them surely meant something. God was mindful of the nation as a whole, but His interest and familiarity was also with each individual soul.

Jesus referred to the good shepherd who knows his own sheep BY NAME and leads them. ( John 10:3) He then stated…
“(14) I am the good shepherd. I KNOW MY OWN and my own know me, (15) just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.” ( John 10:14-15 ESV)

We look at the sky and we may know the names of some of the constellations, but for the most part the stars look like stars. We can’t count them and we do not know their names. When we look at a flock of sheep we can acknowledge seeing a bunch of them, but we may not be able to tell one individual sheep from another. Of the billions of people populating the world, we may know a few intimately, but to acknowledge God’s ability to call the stars BY NAME, and the Lord’s ability to call His sheep BY NAME, should encourage us regarding their full awareness of our individual life. Jesus stated that as He and the Father intimately know each other (but of course), so is His acknowledgement of each one of the sheep of His flock. Though we might not be known by others, to be known by Him is what really counts!

Have a great day KNOWING TO WHOM WE MATTER!
Carl

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