Discovering How Deeply God Knows Me

By Jacob Bahr

When I realized that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ know us by name, my perspective changed.

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young man looking out at lake

Do you know how Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ see you?

President Russell M. Nelson taught: “Each of us has a divine potential because each is a child of God. Each is equal in His eyes. The implications of this truth are profound.”¹

This is one of the single greatest truths I have come to know and love, though I didn’t believe it for a long time.

When I was young, I questioned the existence of God because of my arrogance and doubts about my self-worth. I desired worldly praise at school, at work, and even at church. I belittled those closest to me because the lower I pushed them, the higher I would see myself.

I ruined relationships with my pride. I put my love of the world before the love that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ had for me and the love that I should have had for Them. This all caused so much grief and heartache.

As I got older and experienced some challenges, I realized I was seeking the glories of the world because I thought they defined my worth. I wasn’t aware of what truly gave me value—my divine identity.

The Blessings of Knowing Our Divine Nature

After realizing I was seeking the things of the world, I eventually decided to turn toward Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I sought to know more about Their love for me and who I truly was.

As I studied the scriptures, I was able to deepen my faith in the blessings we can gain when we understand our identity. I love the story of Moses speaking with God on a mountaintop. In just a few verses, God calls Moses His son three times (see Moses 1:4–7). Shortly after this experience, Moses is tempted by Satan and is able to use his knowledge of his divine identity to resist him (see Moses 1:12–24).

Like Moses, I’ve been strengthened by the knowledge that I am a son of God. Because of this knowledge, I’ve been able to keep an eternal perspective and focus on what really matters. And as I’ve studied further, I’ve realized just how personally Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ know us.

The Power of Names

Our Heavenly Father and Savior know us so perfectly and deeply that They know each of us by name—which, to me, makes Their love extra personal.

When someone remembers your name, it can make you feel important and loved. I’ve experienced this over the years, most specifically through an elders quorum president. He always remembers my name and the names of those he meets, helping me feel the Christlike love he has for me and everyone he serves.

His example also reminds me of how Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ know and love each of us. John 10:3 says that “he calleth his own sheep by name,” and so many other scriptures show beautiful examples of this:

“Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee” (Enos 1:5).
“Hearken unto the voice of the Lord your God, while I speak unto you, Emma Smith, my daughter” (Doctrine and Covenants 25:1).
“Thomas, my son, blessed are you because of your faith in my work” (Doctrine and Covenants 31:1).
“I saw two Personages. … One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” (Joseph Smith—History 1:17).

One of my personal favorites is the story of Mary at the time of Jesus’s Resurrection. At first, she does not recognize Him when He appears to her, and so our Savior does one thing—He says her name:

“Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master” (John 20:16; emphasis added).

Because Mary knew that the Savior knew her deeply, hearing Him speak her name was all it took for her to recognize Him. And I can testify that He knows you and me in the same personal way.

Being Reminded of God’s Love

I witnessed this truth during a particularly difficult week on my mission. Everything seemed to be going wrong: I wasn’t getting along with my companion, people we had been teaching had suddenly stopped talking with us, and the weather was extremely hot.

I felt like God had forgotten me. As I was walking down the street in the blazing heat, I thought: “How could you forget about me? It’s so unfair. I’m trying so hard!” And in that moment, a drop of water hit me in the eye—right between my eyebrow and glasses. At first, I was so annoyed that I didn’t even consider the cloudless sky. And then, seconds later, another drop of water hit me in the same spot. I stopped and looked up, and the words “Jacob, I haven’t forgotten you” entered my mind and heart.

I began to cry. I knew those words and raindrops were a message from Heavenly Father. I felt His perfect love for me and for all of His children. I was reminded of who I was and that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ would never abandon me—or any of us.

Now when I am struggling to remember my divine identity, I ponder this experience to remind myself that I, and all of Heavenly Father’s children, have great worth.

Wherever you are on your journey back to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, whatever circumstances or hardships you might be facing, never forget who you truly are. As President M. Russell Ballard, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, reminded us, “You are a child of Heavenly Parents and will be forever—no matter what.”²

We are neither abandoned nor forgotten. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ cherish us and are rooting for us, and They are with us at every turn to help us return home. Even in the darkest of times, Christ’s light can always shine, reminding us of our divine heritage and helping us move forward on the covenant path.