THOSE WHO KNOW HIS NAME by Dave Evans
Dave Evans recently retired from his career as an estimator for an electrical contractor, but still works part-time. He recently served as Body Care Pastor for a small church and previously taught at a local Bible College for several years. God led him to found and serve in several outreach ministries—a pet therapy ministry, visiting several skilled nursing facilities and retirement homes: a prayer booth on a local street corner to allow people in the community to stop by for prayer needs and an evangelism table, typically set up once a month at various malls or stores, which made Bibles, tracts, DVDs, and other Christian materials available free of charge to interested shoppers. Dave has a bachelor’s degree in business administration/management. As a writer, he has had many poems and articles published in various periodicals and books. And he’s been privileged to do volunteer work for a local police department.
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Have you ever felt like God is a stranger? Has it been hard at times to trust God, especially during trials and difficult times? Why do we have these troubles? I think the words of the Puritan John Ball provide one answer, “The mother of unbelief is ignorance of God, his faithfulness, mercy, and power.” Not knowing God hinders us in trusting Him. But as we develop a relationship with Him and learn of Him, He who was once a stranger becomes a faithful and trusted friend and our ignorance and unbelief surrenders to a deepening trust. The Psalmist explained, “And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.” (Psalm 9:10 NKJV) God’s name reveals who He is, and as we learn who He is from His Word, we get to know Him and develop trust in Him. God’s Word tells us that one of the names which is ascribed to God is Immanuel or God with us. “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” (Matthew 1:23 NKJV) Acknowledging that He is with us helps us to trust Him in each and every circumstance. Adam Clarke noted that “He is God with us, to comfort, enlighten, protect, and defend us in every time of temptation and trial, in the hour of death, in the day of judgment; and God with us, and in us, and we with and in him, to all eternity.”
