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Bumping into a friend from church while running errands one morning, I greeted her with a smile and addressed her by name. It only took a few moments of uncomfortable silence to realize she didn’t remember my name. I felt a bit hurt.

A few days after this encounter, I ran into a coworker after work and experienced a similar reaction. After greeting her by name, she looked at me puzzled and apologized for not remembering my name. I felt forgotten and unseen and questioned why others so quickly forgot my name. Deep insecurities budded in my heart and mind.

Amid such feelings of invisibility and insignificance, I found comfort in Jesus’ words during my daily devotions one morning. In describing Himself as the good shepherd, Jesus says He knows His sheep, and they know Him. Jesus calls His sheep by name, leads them out of the sheepfold, and walks ahead of them, leading and protecting His beloved.

Following these brief encounters, I felt forgotten and overlooked. I was reminded that out of the billions of people on this planet, Jesus knows me personally. He not only loves me and leads me as one of the group but also loves me personally and recognizes me as unique. He knows and calls me by name.

What a privilege to be so loved, intimately known, and cared for by the Lord of the universe. Meditating on this profound truth, I found comfort for my lonesome heart, and my feelings of insignificance dissolved. In their place grew the wonderful assurance that I am known, loved, and cherished by the creator of the heavens and the earth.

Whenever we feel alone or forgotten, we can confidently remind ourselves that God knows us, created us with uniqueness and purpose, calls us by name, and cherishes us beyond imagination. We cannot number God’s precious thoughts about us. Although we may feel unseen by others, our Good Shepherd sees, knows, and values us beyond imagination.