https://odb.org/MY/2023/05/09/known-by-god
To me, the most touching thing about the resurrected Jesus’s encounter with Mary as narrated by John in chapter 20 and verses 11 to 18 of his book is that Mary, not knowing she was speaking to Jesus, instantly recognised Him when He called out her name Miriam (which is Mary, in Aramaic). She, in turn, addressed Christ as Rabboni, meaning my Master, my teacher. Physically, the resurrected Christ was unrecognisable as Jesus as He was already clothed in His glorified body. Even when He first spoke, Mary didn’t know it was Him, perhaps because she did not expect Him to be resurrected. But when He called her in a way only He could, she immediately knew it was Him, Jesus.
John 20 establishes that Jesus was resurrected after He died. It is the message of Easter that Christ died for our sins to redeem us and that He defeated the sting of sin, which is death. It gives us the hope of the glory that awaits us one day as we fix our eyes upon Him heavenward. For I know my redeemer lives, and that in the end, He will stand on the earth. Though my skin may be destroyed, even in my flesh, I will see God. Job 19:25-26. That’s in the future, one day.
In the present day, we are assured that Jesus knows us by name like He called out to Mary or like the LORD called out to young Samuel in 1 Samuel 3. Most importantly, we are assured by faith that when Jesus calls us, we will, like Mary and Samuel (after the third time), know that He is Jesus and our God. He will call us by our name that we will instantly recognise that it’s the voice of God as we are His sheep and His sheep recognise His voice. Not just from the way He calls our name, but our spirit and soul will resonate and know that it is Him. Like the special and personal way our spouse and loved ones speak to us that we are most familiar with, we will know.
As I’ve written before in these pages, recognising God’s voice may require practice, but we are assured by faith that we will recognise Him. We will know when He speaks to us. We are His sheep, and He is our Shepherd and sheep recognise the voice of their Shepherd.
My dear brothers and sisters, I pray that as Jesus calls and speaks to us that we will experience the peace that surpasses all understanding. That His peace will guard our hearts and minds as we live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7.
Ronnie's Thoughts 