He Remembers My Name.

I have had some real special opportunities in my life. Some privileges to meet and greet some pretty important, powerful people. I'm not sharing this in pride, although I must say, these memories are some I will never forget. Because of my position on the executive board of the one of the largest nursery association in the country, I have been invited as part of a group of leaders in agriculture to interview the future governor of Oregon to dialogue with him about what he would do for Ag, specifically the nursery industry, if we supported him. I have been in a large but still intimate group of agricultural leaders, invited by our state representatives to meet and have breakfast with then Vice President Dick Cheney. I must tell you, that when this invitation came, I did what all red blooded American women in "power" would do, I went shopping. I spent most of my day then in overalls and blue jeans. If Nordstroms had a good line of work boot, I would have shopped there more, but this day I needed a nice suit to meet the Vice President. I spent an insane amount of money on this beautiful suit. I could have fed a village in Africa for what I spent on this suit. I digress, just surf ice it to say, I was going to look great to have breakfast with about 200 people and the Vice President. In was invited with a larger group to hear President George W. Bush. I was so excited, honored and tears filled my eyes as I looked around this gym and say leaders of our state, people in power, leaders of agriculture and I was there with them. I have been on first name basis with state representative and have had their ear on issues. I have had a exciting political background, but please, please don't be impressed. During those years of what I thought was power and prestige, the God of the universe got my leftovers.

I was impress by these people who took so much of my time. When asked to attend, I'd drop everything and spend anything to be a part of this political scene. I was somebody. Today however, a good deal of these impressive people are still in power, still powerful politically, but they no longer know my name or remember who I am. Years of positioning myself and working hard for an association, and they don't remember my name or what I did.

Psalms 123 says . . . To You I lift up my eyes, O You who are
enthroned in the heavens! Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand
of their master, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, Until He is gracious
to us.

That seems right, we look to God as servants look to their masters. We wait for Him to notice us, to be gracious to us. But look at Psalms 139 and see the beginning of that story. . .

O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit
down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. You scrutinize
my path and my lying down, and are intimately acquainted with all my ways.

The God of the universe, knows me, my name, my way, my heart, my thoughts . . intimately. Yet He gets my leftovers. The relationship in Psalms 123 comes after the relationship of Psalms 139. It begins with God and ends with our worship.

I'm learning about Covenant. Covenant is a binding, serious agreement with someone else that you will keep your vow to them and if you break it, you are willing to die for that breech of promise. You are also willing, as part of this binding agreement to not harm the other person, to protect and defend them. You are one with that person. Marriage is a covenant relationship. When we accept Christ as our Savior, we enter into a covenant relationship. There is real beauty in this relationship in what we receive from God, however, what impressed me recently is what my responsibility is in this relationship. I give up my rights to independent living. To quote my oldest daughter . . . "I'm not the boss of me." God is! He calls the shots. He chooses the path. He deserve the glory. He gets all of me. Not my leftovers.

I used to be impressed with myself because of who I knew and who knew me. (people). I would do all I could to be apart of that scene, to be seen and known by men. Now my heart's desire is to be so fully devoted to God and the Covenant I made with Him; that relationship where He agrees not to harm me and I agree not to harm him, that safe abiding place.

He does know me fully and He still remembers my name.