Have you ever noticed how many names are recorded in the Bible?

Some of the hardest parts to get through in this beautiful book will have chapter upon chapter of lists of names and numbers.

Why is this all here?

Now there are definite historical reasons for all of these lists. As an historical document it lends a certain amount of authenticity. This is data and facts, this is history, this is hard numbers.

But what can we take out of it personally?

In the beginning of Numbers we run into some lists, data on the numbers of Israel, the families and tribes, and as I read I see a particular theme.

God cares about who you are.

Have you ever thought of it that way? God knew each of these people by name, he knew their deepest hearts, and He valued their purpose.

Purpose can be a hard thing to wrap our minds around. We all seem to be looking for it, sometimes we might feel we’ve found it. But here in these passages God is defining purpose with intention. These children are His, He cares about who they are, and He has purpose for their lives.

Specifically the Levites. This is His priesthood, these people are precious to Him.

“I have taken the Levites from among the Israelites in place of the first male offspring of every Israelite woman. The Levites are mine, Numbers 3:12

That is pretty big stuff. God values these people. He’s placed purpose and destiny in their lives. These lists and names hold value because the people themselves held value.

He places the same value on you and me.

But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9

This is pretty intense stuff to realize my friend. It is one thing to think about the “Church” being chosen and priests, thinking in the abstract about the significance of this idea, but the thing about those lists? those names? those numbers and families? He’s still recording names.

Your Name and Mine.

This isn’t an abstract thing, but an intimate one. Each of us are recognized in Him, each of us hold value, each of us have purpose.

[Tweet “Each of us are #recognized in Him, each of us hold #value, each of us have #purpose.”]

I don’t know about you but I can have a hard time feeling like I have purpose. Maybe its the Mom syndrome thing, that place where you are so wrapped up in being “Mom” that you don’t know who you are aside from that anymore. Maybe it is different for you, maybe you have your identity, purpose, and value tied to something else. Your stuff, your friends, your family, your job, your hobbies.

The thing is, each of those places fail you eventually as a source of purpose. But He doesn’t.

God cares about you enough to have a purpose for your life.

God cares about you enough to take the time to know your name.

God cares about you enough to take the time to know your heart.

My prayer for you today, and my prayer for me, is that we can look to God to find that purpose and identity. That we learn the value of the simple fact that God knows your name.

Joy Aletheia Stevens

Do you want to Study Numbers with me? I’m Blogging through the Bible with Good Morning Girls!

Share what God is showing you in your study time in the comments!