To Know and be Known

One of the greatest desires we have in this life is to be known--for someone (or everyone) to understand us deeply.  To get it.  But the problem is, the search for that kind of intimacy can often lead to embarrassment, betrayal, and heartache.  But there is hope for us, because the very depths of that desire is most surely, completely, and definitely met.  Someone knows, sees, understands, and loves us completely, wholly, fully, and forever.  Nothing we can do, say, think, or feel scares this person or puts him off from us.  Listen to this:

O LORD, You have searched me and known me,
You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.
You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.
You have hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge it too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it.

Where can I go from Your Spirit?  Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.

If I say, "Surely the darkness shall fall on me,"
Even the night shall be light about me;
Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You,
But the night shines as the day;
The darkness and the light are both alike to You.

For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother's womb.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.

How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, I am still with you.
Psalm 138:1-18

Such rest and contentment is to be found in those lines.  We can finally stop striving to be known and understood.  Because we already are.  He knows exactly who we are.  We are understood more deeply than we can even comprehend.  Not only does the Lord understand our thoughts, but he knows them before we even can formulate them.  We have a Creator.  And Oh, He is wonderful!

And even greater than all of that--He wants us to know Him.  And He sent Jesus so that we could know Him.  The Creator of the universe has made Himself available to be known by us.

Get this: The most famous person of all is giving you a chance to be part of His inner circle, to know Him intimately.  This is bigger than being "Facebook friends" with Kobe Bryant or having the personal cellphone number of the President of the United States.  This is absolutely the best thing that could ever happen to you.  And it has, through the person of Jesus Christ.

"And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ.  This is the true God and eternal life." -- I John 5:20