I was struck by the theme of Youth Specialties’ 2010 conventions: “Known.” While simple, it’s one of the biggest threads running throughout Scripture.
We have a gravitational pull to be known; it’s what “You get me” is all about. However, does being known have limits?
The potential downside of being known is…well…knowledge. When I let myself be fully known, I risk not being liked. However, when I hit the sweet spot of being known and liked, there is no better place to be on this earth. Thankfully, God provides that place—a spiritual place where His intimate knowledge of us brings comfort and strength rather than risk and tension, because His knowledge of us is accompanied by unconditional love.
Being fully known and still loved is a game-changing truth with deep personal impact. Yet with ministry busyness, we can drift from this truth and forfeit its power.
Take Asaph for instance. His story shows us what happens when we drift. Asaph, the writer of
The Text
While snippets below represent the flow of the psalm, you’ll love reading the entire psalm from your Bible. Note in the opening below any insight into Asaph’s spiritual state of mind.
Psalm 73:1-4
1 Surely God is good to Israel,
to those who are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
I had nearly lost my foothold.
3 For I envied the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 They have no struggles;
their bodies are healthy and strong.
Can you sometimes relate to Asaph’s state of mind? Have you ever felt the slightest tinge of resentment on the morning drive to church for another busy Sunday when you see your fuzzy-slippered neighbors retrieving their newspapers? Envy is a common default when we drift.
Let’s read on. Continue noting Asaph’s spiritual state, but also note the turning point.
Psalm 73:13, 16-19
13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure
and have washed my hands in innocence.
16 When I tried to understand all this,
it troubled me deeply
17 till I entered the sanctuary of God;
then I understood their final destiny.
19 How suddenly are they destroyed,
completely swept away by terrors!
Did you see how the turnaround came about? Remember, this is a Levite who was regularly in and out of the sanctuary; but this time, something happened. As a youth worker, you’re frequently in and out of the sanctuary; but how long has it been since you’ve actually entered the sanctuary of God?
Now check out Asaph’s conclusions about God, and notice the impact of being intimately known by Him.
Psalm 73:25, 28
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
28 But as for me, it is good to be near God.
I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge;
I will tell of all your deeds.
Nice save. Along with the natural reaction, “I will tell of all your deeds,” Asaph’s dramatic turn-around shows the benefits of being known and loved by God. As youth workers, we have a go-to audience for this message: our teens, a special group desperate to be known and loved.
Apply It
Try this. Sanctuary implies the presence of God. Carve out some time. Find a quiet place. Read Psalm 73 and the verses below. Let His presence invoke an awareness that deep flaws, remarkable mistakes, selfish tendencies—all our shortcomings—are known by God. Yet He still loves us fiercely. It’s the ultimate “You get me.”
John 1:14-16
John 15:9-17
Note: Want to go deeper? Go to NYWC.com/resources/10known a free personal study on Youth Specialties’ 2010 theme “Known.”
