God knows the names of everyone our faces!

  Have you paid close attention to the faces in a crowd? Anytime an important personality comes to town there are a variety of people that come out to meet him. Not everyone in the crowd is supportive. Some are critics. Some are skeptics. There are even enemies in the crowd. The rule is true of any crowd. If a popular preacher comes to town, there are faces in the crowd. If a rock star comes to town there are faces in the crowd. If an elected official comes to town, there are faces in the crowd; some smiling, some angry, some happy, some sad. Only the fool believes that all of the faces of any crowd are what they seem to be. The wise are well aware that among the variety of faces in the crowd is a mixture of optimism, pessimism, truth and deception. They all make up the faces in the crowd.

   Often sports events are broadcast on television. The stands are filled with thousands of people. Generally, the people are faceless until the network cameras zoom in close and we see the faces in the crowd. Sometimes we see the strangest things when the camera zeroes in on the individual faces in the crowd. Sometimes we see people cheering wildly. Sometimes we see a man sitting alone. Perhaps we see a father and a son or a group of seniors. Each person has his own reason for being present. Each face has its own story.

   What the world sees on Sunday is a savior who is uniquely familiar with the faces in the crowd. He is not oblivious to their struggles, fears and aspirations. It’s not the physical face that he sees. He’s not noticing our eyes, lips and our brows. He knows the face of disposition. He looks beyond our game face to see our inner face. He knows whether we are truly saved or whether or not we have the face of a believer but not the heart. He knows the face of our spirit. He is not adverse to our hopes and dreams. He sees and knows all about us and feels what we feel and weeps over our failures as he rejoices with our triumph.

    As Christians, we know we are not nameless faces to God. The God we serve knows us and is concerned about us in so many ways. We are more than just names, faces Andy Social Security numbers to him; we are children of the King.

 Sincerely,