How May I Help You?

     Like many of you, I ordered some things from catalogs as Christmas gifts.  But one company I called to place an order really impressed me.  I had selected my items and punched in the number.  The phone hadn’t even rung on my end when a delightful young lady answered.  “Good morning, L.L. Bean.  This is Cathy speaking.  How may I help you today, Mrs. M...?”  The phone hadn’t rung, she had answered and knew it was ME!  Now I know what you are thinking - and, no I do not buy so many things from them that they gave me a direct line.
     I hesitantly murmured, “Good morning.” and said that I would like to place an order.
     “Sure, and would you like it sent to your home at _____________?”
     “Yes, please.”
     “That’s great.  Mrs. M.... is your phone number still __________?
     “Yes,”
     “And Mrs. M.... would you like to use your credit card today?”
      “Yes.”
     “Great.  What is your first item?”
     “Do you mean that YOU DON'T KNOW?”
     Well that confused poor Cathy.  She maintained her cool, probably thinking that this would be the call that got recorded and checked by her managers for quality assurance.
     I continued, “You answered the phone before it rang, you knew my name, address, phone number and my credit card number.    I thought that you might know what I wanted.”
     Cathy laughed and assured me that the phone had actually rung on her end.  She explained that the company had caller ID so that when a person called, they knew exactly who it was.
     1 Peter 5:7 says,  “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”
     God knows and cares for us as individuals.  He doesn’t need a cosmic form of caller ID and computer programs to back up the information.  He knows each of us by name.  He knows the number of hairs on our head.  He knows the cares we have.  
John 10:3  He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out.
     Jesus knew Zacchaeus when He saw him in the tree.  He knew the woman who washed His feet with her tears.  He knew the lepers and the blind men.  He knew the woman at the well.  He knew the fishermen He called to be disciples.  He knows you.
     He knows every little thing about you.  He cares for you as an individual.  The One who loved you enough to come from heaven, to be born in a stable, to die on a lonely cross, will care for all of your cares.

“To whom will you compare me? 
   

Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One. 


Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: 
   

Who created all these?

He who brings out the starry host one by one 


and calls forth each of them by name. 


Because of his great power and mighty strength, 

not one of them is missing.  


Do you not know? 
   Have you not heard? 


The LORD is the everlasting God, 


the Creator of the ends of the earth. 


He will not grow tired or weary, 


and his understanding no one can fathom. 


He gives strength to the weary 
and increases the power of the weak. 
Even youths grow tired and weary, 


and young men stumble and fall;

but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. 


They will soar on wings like eagles; 

They will run and not grow weary, 
 

They will walk and not be faint. 

 Isaiah 40:25-31

-Donna