Listening to an old Rusty Goodman song, “Who Am I?” * Two questions
in there. Who? And why? Who am I to deserve what my God did for me? Why would
He go to the cross for me? The song reaches a conclusion: “The answer I may
never know.”
The song is wrong.
The answers to both questions are so simple that even the
youngest child knows them instinctively. The second question first. How could
he ever love undeserving me so?
How could He not love me? It isn’t about me; it’s about
Him. He is love and love finds its only true substance in Him. He can’t
not love. He cannot be untrue to Himself. (II Timothy 2:13)
The harder question is, “Why me?” Again, the answer slaps
me upside the face. I’m His kid.
I can hear my argumentative nephew now: “Well, tell me
this then. When He died, you hadn’t even been thought of. Your great, great,
great grandpappy hadn’t even been born. And after you were born, you weren’t
His yet because you hadn’t accepted Him…”
But I had been thought of. I was already known. He knows
my heart, all the way through. He made that heart, especially and on purpose,
and with a custom-made purpose. He gave it to me, taught me to feel and know
it. He knew me before He made me, and He knew how much I’d want and need a
Father. He knew that in this world I wouldn’t find father or mother or friend able to
satisfy my deepest need. Way before I had any name for that hunger, I longed
for Him—and He’s always been looking for me, lost lamb, lost child. I’ve always been his child. Now I’m his forever child all the
way through—and He knew all that before He even made me.
Yes, the answer is too simple for the wise. But the
understanding? That will take all of eternity--even for the simple.
Avi, it’s so
good to be known by You, and to know that in Heaven no one will ever again feel
misunderstood. No one will ever again feel invisible and written off. I’m
looking forward to learning who my brothers and sisters really are, to see their
hearts. But most of all, I look forward to spending eternity making new
discoveries about You. I can hardly wait to start. Show me more of You here.
In Your Holy Name,
Amen.
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFilnKaA8a4
