The ALF family adventures: Does God know my name?

Wow.
This was the question from my inquisitive four year old after we read his Bible story this evening.....
Does God know my name?
Does he ever, Buddy!

The conversation continued:
Payton: Mommy, does God know my name?
Me: He sure does. He knows everything about you.
Payton: How he know my name?
Me: He gave your name to Mommy and Daddy for us to name you.

Payton: Oh. Can God see inside my heart
(Insert enduring "awe" inside my head and all over my body here.)
Me: Yup. He can see inside your heart- everything you think and feel. He knows all about you, your favorite color, what you like to eat, how many hairs are on your poky head.
Payton: SMILE, little giggle.
Me: He knew you before Mommy knew you. Before God gave you to Mommy and put you in my tummy, He already knew what you would be like, and He loved you!
LONG pause and thoughtful look.
Payton: God hold me when I was a baby?
Me: I don't know how it all works before He put you in my tummy. (What would you have said?)

SO I grabbed for my Bible. I told Payton, this is my favorite scripture. It has always given me such stability in my "ON PURPOSE" life (that was a surprise of sorts, at least to my parents). I didn't tell him that part.

"Oh Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.
You know when I sit down or stand up.
You know my thoughts even when I am far away.
You see me when I travel and when I rest at home.
You know everything I do.
You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord.
You go before me and follow me.
You place you hand of blessing on my head.
Such knowledge is too
wonderful for me, to great for me to understand."

"I can never escape from your Spirit!
I can never get away from you presence!
If I go up to heaven, you are there;
if I go down to the grave you are there:
If I ride the wings of the morning,
if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.
I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night-
but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.
To you the night shines as bright as day.
Darkness and light are the same to you. "

"You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's (tummy).
Than you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous- how well I know it!
You watched me as I was being formed in seclusion,
as I was woven together in the dark of (my mommy's tummy)
You saw me before I was born.
Everyday of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out before a singe day had passed."

"....Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
Point out anything in me that (makes you sad),
and lead me along the path of everlasting life."

~Psalm 139 (with a Mommy's off the cuff paraphrasing in some parts)

He is soaking it all in! We have been talking with Payton about what it means to have God as your friend, and how badly he wants to talk with us and hear our thoughts. He has had a lot of questions and some confusion, "but I can't see Him." It's true. He's working it out. Little by little. He is seeking. Yes, that's right. My four year old son is seeking WHO GOD IS, to him, and wondering what that means for his life right now, moment to moment. He always asks me after he has disobeyed if Jesus died on the cross now. Well, I'm no theologian, but some would say, THIS KID GETS IT. He's right there. And you know what? I have a side-line pass to watch him grow into this faith. Double WOW!

I got to share in communion with him on Sunday. We took the elements from Daddy and Payton lead me to the altar. He carefully set his bread and juice cup down and assumed "prayer pose." I asked him to explain what he understood about what we were doing. He said this (juice) looks like Jesus' blood because he died on the cross. We talked more and prayed and he was grinning from ear to ear the whole time. Such a special moment to share with my son.

His questions are more and more intense each day and I feel the Lord drawing him in. It's exciting. It's wonderful.

Yes, Buddy, God knows your name!