How I Know He Knows My Name

He knows my name.

He knows my name. It’s in the song from the “blue book”. We learned the song from the “blue book”**. ‘Sang it for years with my sisters – many times on our way home from church on a Sunday evening.

Years ago, my sister and cousins recorded a tape of lullabies, including this song. Listening to this song recently, I realized that this is where I learned that  He knows my name.

When you sing a song often enough, you begin to understand and believe the truth in the words you are singing. (That’s why it’s important that we are careful about what goes into the ears of our kids because in time it will sink into their impressionable minds and they will claim it as truth).

One of the blessings of learning songs that are based directly on the truth of Scripture is that we learn about God while we don’t even realize we’re learning. These many years later, I have that memory and the meaning of those words tucked into my heart.

Yes, Jesus knows my name.

When someone knows – and remembers -our name, it means we are important to that person. It means that we matter. It means that what we do is significant to that person.

When God knows my name, it means that I matter to Him. It means He cares about me. It means that what I do and who I am is important to Him. In this vast and enormous universe filled with millions of people, I matter to Him because He knows my name.

I learned all that from this song.

The song asks questions that remind me of the questions God asked Job.  Do you know . . . ? Can you count . . .  ?

And, like Job, I realize I have no idea, but God does. No, I can’t begin to count the stars or the clouds, the birds or the fish, or the children, but He can. He already knows.

Most especially to me, He knows my name.

He knows your name, too.

If you want scripture that verifies this, you can click here, or here, or here.

This song doesn’t just ask questions. It answers those questions by giving us answers: “Who really knows, Who really hangs the stars and counts the clouds, Who really gives life to animals, birds, fish, and flowers.”

Who, especially, cares about children sleeping in their beds at night? Who knows the name of every child in the whole wide world, including mine?

I am forever grateful that we learned about God through music and song even though we were completely oblivious that we were being taught an important truth. A foundation for my faith was being built, line by line, precept upon precept, here a little, there a little. At that time, I wasn’t even aware.

I’ve carried that truth with me everywhere I’ve gone. Sometimes it is hidden, but it always resurfaces on days when it seems nobody else cares about what happens to me. It is there, vibrating down in my being on days when I wonder if I am important to anybody. No matter what happens or what turmoil is stressing my life, I always know that Jesus knows my name.

I don’t have the answers to all of life’s conflicts and problems. There are so many things I don’t understand or even know, but I know the One Who does.

And that Someone knows my name!

The Words:

Do You Know How Many Stars?

(1) Do you know how many stars there are shining in the sky?

Do you know how many clouds every day go floating by?

God, the Lord, their number knoweth, for each one His care He showeth,

Of the bright and boundless host, Of the bright and boundless host.

(2) Do you know how many birdies in the sunshine sing all day?

Do you know how many fishes in the sparkling water play?

God, the Lord, Who dwells in Heaven, name and life to each has given,

In His love they live and move, in His love they live and move.

(3) Do you know how many children go to little beds at night,

And without a care or sorrow wake again with morning light?

God in Heav’n each name can tell, knows us, too, and loves us well.

He’s our best and dearest Friend, He’s our best and dearest Friend.

The Music:

To hear this song, you can go to this link. It is from the recording made in December of 1996 by my sister Rachel Miller and my cousins, Joanna Miller and Ruth Miller Yoder. (A special thanks to my son Ben for taking the recording I sent and putting it on YouTube.)

The Book

**The “little blue book” was printed in 1928 and sold for 50 cents. According to Union Gospel Press, this song was printed in several different books and under different publishers. My copy was printed in 1928 by Gospel Trumpet Company through Union Gospel Press, Cleveland, Ohio. In my copy, there is no author listed for this song, and the music is listed as a “German song”. Further research tells me that the song is attributed to Johann Wilhelm Hey (1789-1854).