In the thick of the American Civil War, Senator Charles Sumner, who was consumed by the great idea and ideal of abolition was asked by Julia Ward Howe to meet some friends of hers who had been victims of the scourge of slavery. Julia Ward Howe was the writer of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.” To her surprise he refused and in a condescending manner said, “Really, Julia, I have lost all interest in individuals.” She answered, “Why, Charles, God hasn’t got as far as that yet!”
Julia Ward Howe was right! Despite the fact that God dwells in heaven, is sovereign over all living things, and has a plan for the ages, He has not lost interest in the individual. With God it’s personal. Jesus speaking of his love for His people through the metaphor of the shepherd says, “I know my sheep” (John 10:14). In fact, He knows them individually by name (John 10:3). The personal nature of the relationship between the Middle Eastern shepherd and his sheep is still seen to this day in the shepherd’s uncanny ability to divide flocks that have blended at a well or during the night by simply calling his sheep, whereupon they separate from the other sheep and begin to follow their shepherd. In the Middle East shepherding is personal. There is an intimacy and closeness between the shepherd and his flock. We know from elsewhere in the Gospels that if a sheep gets lost, the loving shepherd leaves the others in a open field to find it, and when that sheep is rescued he calls his friends to celebrate the fact that one individual sheep has been returned to the fold (Luke 15:3-7). With God it’s personal! His love is tailored, His care is focused, His patience is particular, and His grace is measured to each of us in unique ways.
David knew that with God it’s personal! He begins his famous 23rd Psalm with “The Lord is my Shepherd” (Psalm 23:1). To God, David was not one among many, but one to whom God pays particular attention. David never felt lost amongst the crowd. In fact if as Martin Luther notes, “True religion is a matter of personal pronouns” then this psalm is an outstanding example of that. This psalm is 57 words in the Hebrew Bible, and 118 words in the English text. Of note is the fact that 25 percent of the psalm is made up of 28 personal pronouns. David knew that God knew him! David was not a number to God, but a name! God knew all about him (Psalm. 139:1-6). And that is why Psalm 23 is so universally loved, because it is so individual and so personal. Everybody is somebody to God. The personal pronoun “my” means that I can have God all to myself. I can be sure of His time all the time. I can be sure of His love as if I were the only one. I may be part of His flock, but I am a one of a kind sheep to Him.
When Prince Albert died, Queen Victoria said, “Now there is no one to call me Victoria.” In the midst of life’s losses and crosses it is a blessing to know that God will always call us by our name. He knows us! He knows the way we take (Job 23:10); He knows our frame (Psalm 103:14); He knows our needs (Matt. 6:8); and He knows where we dwell (Rev. 2:13). God never loses sight of our needs or us.
With God it’s personal!