Patheos

BuddhistCatholicContemplativeEvangelicalGeneral ChristianHinduJewishLatter-day SaintMuslimNew VisionsProgressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Patheos

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos Patheos on Facebook Patheos on YouTube

leadershiponfire

Take Comfort in Knowing God Knows Your Name

Last updated on: July 8, 2026 at 12:00 pm   by Lee Ann B. Marino

Take Comfort in Knowing God Knows Your Name 2026-06-06T16:49:40-04:00 Lee Ann B. Marino

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

My name is entirely phonetic. It’s spelled the same way it sounds. For some reason, however, nobody seems to get it right. I’ve been called LouAnn, Lindsey, LeAn, Lian, Liam, Leah, and so many other names, I can’t remember them all. Some go as far as to cut off the “Ann” all together and call me Lee. This means there’s a number of vague corporations that have me identified as “Mr. Lee Marino.” I’ve even gone on dates only to find prospective mates spelled my name incorrectly after the fact. It’s obvious the world doesn’t know my name, at least in the sense they should. As a result, I take great comfort in knowing God knows my name.

God knows your name, too. Of the many facets of God, why does this matter?

Name badges and markers on a table

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

Personal vs. impersonal deities

Perhaps one of the greatest things we take for granted in modern religion is the idea of a personal deity. We love the idea that God knows us and loves us even with our flaws. Some take these beliefs to the extreme, while others like the idea, as difficult as it is for them to fathom. God’s knowledge of us is part of his omniscience, or all-knowing nature. God knows your name because He knows all things, including everything about you. As your Creator, He has intimate knowledge of you that no one else has.

In ancient times, people didn’t have the same relationship with their deities. The ancient world was full of people who sought favor from deities, but didn’t expect them to care about them. Sacrifices and offerings to the gods were not random, but specific and calculated. Everything from specific items to times of day or year and location were thought to make a difference. If the offering – and the vibes – and any other number of conditions were right – favor would result.

Adherents were driven, but yielded inconsistent results. The gods might have been specific to a tribe or people, but these gods didn’t invest any knowledge in them. The deities were scheduled to receive, but returning the favor was often met with inconsistent results.  If someone was hurting or had a bad day, their deities didn’t care. There was no intimacy in relationship between the gods and those who served them.

God is greater than other gods

The idols we follow are much like the false gods of old. We spend a great deal of our time pouring effort, money, and energy into things that draw us away from God. The things that often draw us the deepest – and take the most from us – are often things that don’t care much about us. In speaking of idols, Isaiah 44:18-20 tells us much:

Such stupidity and ignorance!
    Their eyes are closed, and they cannot see.
    Their minds are shut, and they cannot think.
The person who made the idol never stops to reflect,
    “Why, it’s just a block of wood!
I burned half of it for heat
    and used it to bake my bread and roast my meat.
How can the rest of it be a god?
    Should I bow down to worship a piece of wood?”
The poor, deluded fool feeds on ashes.
    He trusts something that can’t help him at all.
Yet he cannot bring himself to ask,
    “Is this idol that I’m holding in my hand a lie?” (NLT)

To say God knows your name indicates a personal, intimate reality that transcends any idol. Not just accessible for what we can do or offer for Him, God cares more about us as people than He does any sacrifice we can offer. Rather than just being an abstract image that is there to maybe bestow favor if the wind blows right, God is consistently there.

Thankful that God knows your name

It’s easy to feel invisible in this world…especially if you’re chasing an idol. It’s easy to feel overlooked, especially in light of someone or something else. Yet there’s something important in this for us: God knows your name! Nobody else might get it right. People might talk about your name behind your back. People might misspell your name. Regardless, God knows your name! Not only is this a comforting fact, it reminds us that God – the almighty – is sovereign enough to know all, yet kind enough to know us with attention and detail.

No matter who we matter to or don’t matter to in this life, we matter to Him. That means we do matter. It’s not all about what others know, but about what He knows. He calls you and loves you, just as you are. In the hustle of today’s largely impersonal world, you Creator knows exactly who you are.

God’s majestic name heralds in creation

Just as God knows our name, we know Him as our Father, Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. From age to age, God’s incredible nature rings throughout our universe. We recognize His presence throughout our amazing world. Psalm 8:1-9 reminds us:

O Lord, our Lord, Your majestic name fills the earth!
    Your glory is higher than the heavens.
You have taught children and infants
    to tell of Your strength,
silencing Your enemies
    and all who oppose You.

When I look at the night sky and see the work of Your fingers—
    the moon and the stars You set in place—
what are mere mortals that You should think about them,
    human beings that You should care for them?
Yet You made them only a little lower than God
    and crowned them with glory and honor.
You gave them charge of everything You made,
    putting all things under their authority—
the flocks and the herds
    and all the wild animals,
the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea,
    and everything that swims the ocean currents.

O Lord, our Lord, Your majestic name fills the earth! (NLT)

How fortunate we are that the God of all creation knows us personally, by name!

General Christian

Relationships and Religion

Bible study

Spiritual development

Uncategorized

wellbeing

god knows your name

idols

name

psalm 8

About Lee Ann B. Marino

Dr. Lee Ann B. Marino, Ph.D., D.Min., D.D. (”The Spitfire”) is “everyone’s favorite theologian” leading Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z as apostle of SAFE Ministries. Her work encompasses study and instruction on leadership training and development, typology, Pneumatology, conceptual theology, Ephesians 4:11 ministry, and apostolic theology. She is author of over thirty-five books, host of the top twenty percentile podcast Kingdom Now, and serves as founder and overseer of Sanctuary International Fellowship Tabernacle - SIFT and Chancellor of Apostolic Covenant Theological Seminary. Dr. Marino has over twenty-five years of experience in ministry, leadership, counseling, mentoring, education, and business. You can read more about the author here.

Previous Post



July 1, 2026

When God Reveals a Divine Revelation...And We Wish He Hadn't

Next Post



July 15, 2026 A Summary on How to Discern the Gift of Discernment


Browse Our Archives

Select a Category BIble education Bible history Bible study bible women church history Cult education current events holidays Leadership Ministry queer events Spiritual development Uncategorized wellbeing women in christianity women in ministry world religion

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023


Follow Us!

Follow Us on Facebook Follow Us on Twitter



TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

True or False: John's Gospel identifies Jesus as 'the Lamb of God' in the first chapter.

Select your answer to see how you score.

TRUE FALSE

Related posts from Leadership on Fire

Progressive Christian

What Being a Modern-Day Apostle Means to Me

Leadership on Fire

Progressive Christian

Principles for Understanding the Apostolic Ministry Today

Leadership on Fire

Progressive Christian

Resist the Devil, and He Will Flee

Leadership on Fire

Progressive Christian

Assessing How Much You Want to Find God...

Leadership on Fire

TRENDING AT PATHEOS Progressive Christian

What Being a Modern-Day Apostle Means to Me

In my last column, I discussed the ins and outs of modern-day...

Did Ancient China Once Worship the God of...

Across human history, a common thread weaves through the origins of the...

Love Your Neighbor – Including Earth-Kin: Lev. 19,...

God’s command to love your neighbor means acting in an ethical and...

Lead a Church Study of “Jesus and Lao...

Guest writer Jack Thomas (The Irreverent Reverend) reflects on leading his church...

Pastoral Wisdom for Responding to Sermon Pushback

Getting sermon pushback on your social justice sermon? Learn practical, Proverbs-based strategies...

Principles for Understanding the Apostolic Ministry Today

Whenever people discover that my formal ministry title is "apostle," as in...

view all Progressive Christian blogs

Patheos on Facebook Patheos on YouTube

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Copyright 2008-2026, Patheos. All rights reserved.

Subscription Support Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In

Follow Patheos Patheos on Facebook Patheos on YouTube