Does He Know Me?
The Shepherd calls His own sheep by name, and they know His voice.
Devotional Credit: My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Photo Credit: Unsplash
The heart of Oswald Chambers’ devotional reminds me that Jesus does not merely recognize us as part of a crowd, but personally calls each one of us by name. The tenderness with which He addressed Mary outside the tomb shows how deep His knowledge of us runs. She was lost in grief, unable to recognize Him, but He knew her. One word, “Mary,” restored her to joy and trust. Chambers is pointing us toward the difference between knowing about Jesus and actually knowing Him.
He also reminds us of Thomas, who carried his doubts until Jesus Himself met him with nail-scarred hands. What changed Thomas was not arguments or doctrine but the presence of the risen Jesus, and Thomas’ heart overflowed in worship. Similarly, Peter’s denials did not drive Jesus away. Instead, the risen Lord pursued him, restored him, and affirmed his love. These three encounters make it clear that our Lord’s knowledge of us is not hindered by our weakness, our doubts, or our failures.
What makes this devotional so stirring is that it brings us back to the simplicity of relationship. It is not doctrine alone, though truth matters. It is not even blessings, though He gives them. It is Him. The risen Lord knows us fully, and that knowing is the bedrock of our life in Him.
The challenge, then, is to reflect: Do I have a personal history with Jesus? Chambers says the mark of discipleship is that intimate connection that nothing can disturb. As we yield to the indwelling Spirit, we discover that His knowing us secures our walk far more than our faltering efforts to know Him.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
I know you by name, beloved. I have written you on the palms of My hands, and nothing can erase you from My memory. You may forget Me for a moment, you may doubt, you may even deny, yet My gaze does not turn away. I am the Good Shepherd who calls My own sheep by name, and you hear My voice because you belong to Me.
When you stumble in your faith, I remain faithful, for I cannot deny Myself. I come close in your doubt, I restore in your denial, I call in your sorrow. My presence is your anchor, My love your covering, My Spirit your guide. You are not adrift on uncertain seas, for I dwell within you, the hope of glory.
Remember, it is not how tightly you cling to Me that secures you, but that I have already taken hold of you. My knowing of you is perfect, unchanging, eternal. Walk in that rest.
Scripture References: John 10:3, John 20:11–16, John 20:24–29, John 21:15–17, Isaiah 49:16, 2 Timothy 2:13, Colossians 1:27
Real-Life Analogy
It is like unlocking your phone with facial recognition. Others may pick it up and press the screen, but the device stays closed until it recognizes your face. In the same way, the world may shout at you with voices of shame, doubt, or accusation, but only one voice unlocks your heart. Jesus calls you by name, and in that instant you know you are His.
As you face the moments today when doubt, failure, or weariness press in, pause and quietly say, “Lord, I trust You to live through me right now.” That trust opens the door for His indwelling life to respond, whether with peace in an anxious moment, patience in a delay, or love in a hard conversation.
Prayer of Confidence
Lord, thank You that You know me fully. Thank You that my failures do not erase Your love, and my doubts do not cancel Your presence. I rest in the certainty that You have called me by name and written my story in Your hands. Today I walk in the joy of being known by You, loved by You, and indwelt by You.