Being known by that Voice I know... by Kari Henkelmann Keyl

Where everybody knows your name,
And they’re always glad you came!
You wanna go where people know
People are all the same.
You wanna go where everybody knows your name. ♫

This has been one day when I definitely would have appreciated having my own friendly neighborhood bar to step into. I don’t, so I didn’t. But I did make a stop at one of my neighborhood places, out of necessity, to have my new glasses adjusted so they’d stop tormenting my ears. I walked in with all the grumpiness of my day clouding my spirit. And I walked out with a genuine smile, absent-mindedly humming the theme song to Cheers.

I had been greeted by name, treated with kindness, and even had the pleasure of a meaningful conversation. “My” Pearle Vision is a place where they know my name and are always glad I came. And I am truly grateful for it.

Do you have places like this? And do you value them as much as I do? Do you hunger for more of this sense of belonging? This sense of being known? I know I do. And when I get it, I treasure it. I feel like God is at work (or play?) in that place, or in that person, or in that group… whether they know it or not.

One of the most-loved pieces of poetry of all time, the song/poem that’s come to be known as Psalm 23, has this theme of being known. (Here are a couple of versions to check out: Psalm 23 NIV and Psalm 23 The Message.)

Through sunny-smooth times and shadowy-frightening times, God is like a shepherd who lovingly/firmly leads the way. This is one of those Bible passages that some people have tucked away in their memories. When they really need it, they can pull it out… to take them to that place of belonging, where they are known by name, like a sheep that’s valued by its shepherd.

Near the end of the psalm comes a line that sounds just plain gooey-comforting: “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life”. I’ll never forget when one of my college professors, Walter Rast, pointed out that the Hebrew word we usually translate as “follow” really has more of the connotation of “pursue” or “chase after”. At the time I learned this, I was having serious doubts about everything I’d ever learned about anything, including God. This image of God chasing after me, trying to gift me with undeserved love, even when I was running away, was deeply powerful for me.

At those times when I have no “Cheers” in my life, no place I sense belonging, there God my Shepherd is, chasing after me, pursuing me when my head’s turned the other way. When my day is full of anxiousness and empty of Godness, there is my Shepherd calling out my name, hoping I’ll recognize that familiar voice.

For there are times we don’t recognize the calling, when we miss out on the Life being offered. We need other “sheep” around us to help us to listen and discern where God’s voice is coming from and where it is not. Check out this episode in Jesus’ life, where he talks about himself as a shepherd whose guidance is not always received or recognized as a gift (John 10:22-30).

For some thought-provoking fun, I’ll end with one of my favorite movie images of a “good shepherd”, one who knows the sheep by name and pursues the sheep with love: Babe the Sheep Pig. This link (trailer) tells the story of this unconventional shepherding, and this one (tribute) shows the power of the story to effect even the tiniest of sheep!

Please know that by the way is a place that you can find welcome, just as you are. If you’d like to join in an audio Skype conversation on the issues I’ve raised here, call in and look for “bythewaycommunity” on skype.com this Thursday, April 22, at 7pm EST. Consider as well the option to offer your thoughts to others here by commenting below.