“On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me.”
Matthew 7:22-23 (ESV)
Jesus’ sobering words remind me of how important it is for us to be known by Him. Everything we do in this life should lead us to know Him better, with the hope that He knows us and will one day say to us, “I know you, good and faithful servant.”
I had a recent experience that was a lesson in the importance of being known by Jesus.
Last week, I ordered an ice cream cake, and paid for it in full, planning to pick it up on Sunday. It was for my niece’s 40th birthday party. The young man who took my order seemed new, but he accurately wrote down what to write on the cake. Then I paid him in advance and he gave me a receipt and I left.
Later that day, it occurred to me that he forgot to ask my name and phone number.
I started looking for the receipt, since that would be my only proof, but to complicate things even more, I realized I had lost the receipt. I tried retracing my steps and suspected that I might have accidentally thrown it out. I was so angry at myself, as I realized I had no receipt and they have a cake with no name of who it belongs to.
I called Dairy Queen and asked if they had an order for a cake that read “Happy 40th birthday, Seanna.” They confirmed that they did, and they also said it was marked paid, although they didn’t know who purchased it, since the new employee forgot to put a name on the cake order. I assured them it was my order and I would pick it up Sunday.
What a bizarre situation that was. I paid for a cake and then lost my receipt. The young man took an order for a cake, but forgot to put any purchaser’s name on the order.
It was such a strange feeling to realize I had nothing to prove who I am, or that the cake belonged to me. My only identifier or claim to that cake was my niece’s name on it, since no stranger would want a cake with someone else’s name on it.
In situations like this, I always look for the hidden meaning. So, after the near debacle of an ice cream cake, with no purchaser’s name and no receipt in existence, I figured there has to be a deeper meaning in this whole experience.
Technically, without a receipt, I cannot claim ownership of that cake, and my own name means nothing to them because it was never written down in the first place.
The key identifier and my only claim to that cake was my niece’s name written on it. Seanna’s name is the identifier that connects the cake to me. No one else would want a cake with a stranger’s name on it.
It made me think about Jesus’ words regarding events after death and the day of judgement. We will have no receipts to show, because our salvation cannot be bought with money. We can try telling God our name, who we are, and what we did for Him, but our name and our personhood alone, doesn’t merit our salvation. There is only one key identifier that connects us to eternal life and it’s our trust in Jesus. He is the only mediator between God and man, and only Jesus bridges the gap between us and His father. He told us that whoever believes in Him will live even if they die. No one comes to the Father except through Him, because He paid the price in full.
On that day, when we stand before God, by faith, we expect to hear Jesus say to us, “I know you”, as He turns to tell His Father that we belong to Him. It’s because we have trusted in His sacrifice and have received atonement that comes only through His body and blood. He is our connection to heaven.
To know Him and to have Him know us, leads Him to say “I know you”.
It’s the unique connection, like the name on the cake, that links it to us. Those words will be the best words we’ve ever heard, in both this life and our afterlife.
Lord, draw us closer to you here and now, so that we may love you more and hear you one day say that you know us, as you welcome us into your presence for all eternity. Amen