I Am Not Forgotten - He Knows My Name! - 1 Chronicles 1-9
To try do a 3 minute devotional from nine chapters in 1 Chronicles must seem very ambitious. But that’s what I’m going to do this evening. What is more daunting is that these are 9 chapters of genealogies, lists and lists of otherwise forgotten names.
They don’t really affect much of what we believe in our day-to-day Christian life … or do they? Almost all of those listed are never mentioned again in the Bible. They just pass through the pages of the Bible in those nine chapters and then they are gone - like a fleeting dream. They probably didn’t live very long either. Life expectancy wasn’t that good in those days. Most of their tribes have even disappeared. Look among Jews of today for the tribes of Simeon and Reuben and the others – they have gone forever. But they are listed here in 1 Chronicles 1-9. They are not forgotten by God.
We have a song in our repertoire – “I am not forgotten, He knows my name”. I don’t know what inspired Israel Houghton to write that song, but the words are wonderful - if we think about them. They are important for us spiritually, socially and psychologically. And these are all linked! I am not forgotten – He knows my name.
It’s not just the Old Testament. In the New Testament, according to Philippians ch4 our names are written in the book of life. I am not forgotten – He knows my name.
Even more remarkably, in Revelation it says twice that Christian believers’ names are not only written in the Book of Life, but they have been written there since before the foundation of the world. Think about that. I am not forgotten – He knows my name. John the author of Revelation is telling that to people who were in great anguish, and experiencing great pressure, and tempted to walk away from Christianity - it was getting too hard, they were tempted to pack it all in.
Every verse of our Christian life should have this chorus. In Christ I am not forgotten – He knows my name. When we get up in the morning I am not forgotten – He knows my name … as we do the most humble of tasks, as we try to serve God – I am not forgotten – He knows my name … Even in the darkest hour – I am not forgotten – He knows my name … From the beginning to the end of our life journey with God we can genuinely say to ourselves – I am not forgotten – He knows my name.
It is easy to believe God remembers you when things are going well and there is material success, when every prayer is seemingly answered immediately, but in those darker places, that place of personal failure and disappointment, the chorus still remains, I am not forgotten – He knows my name.
The Lord Jesus knew the name of Lazarus: starving, despised and sick at the Rich man’s gate, just one more among many beggars – He was not forgotten – Jesus knew Lazarus’ name. The rich man, the big dude in the ’hood … his name is never mentioned in that parable. Jesus didn’t know his name. But poor, despised Lazarus was not forgotten by God. If you are in a dark place today, take comfort dear Christian brother and sister, take comfort from those nine boring chapters of 1 Chronicles, take comfort from those difficult portions of Revelation.
You are not forgotten – the Lord knows your name.