And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13.

As I sat in prayer this morning contemplating, I realized the greatest thing we will ever come to know is that God loves us. I don’t mean as a whole of humanity but each single, individual one of us is loved by God. It’s personal.

I kept turning page after page through 1 Chronicles 2-9 seeing name after name with a few notations but mainly names upon names. (In the notes: The chronology of chapters 1-9 covers Israelite history from creation to the exile in Babylon (586 B.C.). At this point, the narrative goes back to the beginning of Israel’s kingdom period, picking up with Israel’s first king, Saul). A lot of history of us.

Buried within those many names was David, son of Jesse. And yet, not just a name among many names; and neither are we a name among many names to God. But what David, just one name among many names, wrote was so beautiful. You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Psalm 139:1-6.

Each person is known and loved by God. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Psalm 139:16-17.

The names recorded for us to read and ponder represent lives woven together. Imagine how many experiences! When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:11-13.

Love. What do you love? Who do you love? That is life and our Creator God has given us this life to live so we can experience the greatest gift of all: love. Do you love? Do you want to love? Ask. He’s here always. He will show you the way to love. Trust Him. He knows the way.