He calls His own . . . by name. John 10:3.

God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God. God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made Him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; He made us pure and holy, and He freed us from sin. 1 Corinthians 1:28-30.

And continuing our 351 Old Testament prophecies, promises of God, fulfilled in Jesus Christ, we come to number 114: Called the Christ (Messiah or Anointed). Psalm 45:7-8: You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of joy above Your fellows. All Your garments are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia; out of ivory palaces stringed instruments have made You glad. And, Luke 2:11: For today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

I loved this today from My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers: “When have I sadly misunderstood Him? (see John 20:11:18). It is possible to know all about doctrine and still not know Jesus. A person’s soul is in grave danger when the knowledge of doctrine surpasses Jesus, avoiding intimate touch with Him. Why was Mary weeping? Doctrine meant no more to her than the grass under her feet. In fact, any Pharisee could have made a fool of Mary doctrinally, but one thing they could never ridicule was the fact that Jesus had cast seven demons out of her (see Luke 8:2); yet His blessings were nothing to her in comparison with knowing Jesus Himself. “She turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus . . . Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’” (John 20:14, 16). Once He called Mary by her name, she immediately knew that she had a personal history with the One who spoke. “She turned and said to Him, ‘Rabboni!’” (20:16)”.

How can we know Jesus? I love this today in Jesus Calling by Sarah Young: “Meet Me in the early morning splendor. I eagerly await you here. In the stillness of this holy time with Me, I renew your strength and saturate you with Peace. While others turn over for extra sleep or anxiously tune in to the latest news, you commune with the Creator of the universe. I have awakened in your heart strong desire to know Me. This longing originated in Me, though now it burns brightly in you. When you seek My Face in response to My Love-call, both of us are blessed. This is a deep mystery, designed more for your enjoyment than for your understanding. I am not a dour God who discourages pleasure. I delight in your enjoyment of everything that is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable. Think on these things, and My Light in you will shine brighter day by day.”

There is such a subtle gentle way that Jesus speaks to us connecting understanding. Concern for a family member uncertain of what will transpire for her reminded me this morning of how blind we truly are to what the future holds. And He tells me not to fear the confusions and waywardness of this world, but to turn to Him and let His love do its good work in me and give me peace in Him. I don’t even know what today will bring for any of us but I know God is here and I know He loves us. There is such a difference when we turn away from all that is wrong and turn to Creator God – Father, Son, Spirit. We have to come to see the wrong for all that it is before we can turn away from it. Our turning away from the darkness that blinds us and keeps us ignorant of God’s love finds us reaching for Him and He is here. This worlds waywardness leaves us spent and empty and confused. God’s love anchors us in all that is true and good and needed and not just for our own selves but for all of His children dearly loved. What a difference in understanding! And only God can bring that understanding in His loving and gentle and unmistakable authority of Being – our Creator and Sustainer and Redeemer.

***On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity. Zechariah 13:1 NIV.***