Anonymously Yours
I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! 2 But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. 5 They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice. John 10:1-5 NLT
Have you ever wished to melt into the ground and not be? Maybe out of pure embarrassment? Maybe to avoid a difficult task? Maybe to not feel the pain of grief? Whatever your reason, your prayer may begin as “Dear God” and end with, “Anonymously yours,” because even to God you don’t want to speak about that “melt into the ground” moment.
But as John 10 above states, there is no sneaking, no hiding from God.
In a world where people crave their fifteen minutes (seconds) of fame, the juxtaposition of anonymity and fame is stark. God knows all, our full pride, embarrassment, and more, we are never anonymous to God.
Our desires to be remembered are deeply rooted in our wanting this life to mean something, even with those embarrassing moments.
You may have heard it stated that, “none of us are getting out of this alive.” “This” being life as we know it. Considering the number of humans who’ve preceded us on this journey; it is true that life ends and that we become anonymous. How many are no longer remembered by name? Can you name your own Great-great grandparents? I can’t! We are all eventually anonymous. A speck in a place and time on a small blue planet. Wow, a bit awesome and depressing all at the same time.
But again, from John in the verse above, God knows all.
When I taught art history, I’d have some student’s who’d look at ancient art and report, “Anon created this art.” (SIGH!) Educational moment to explain that listing Anon on a work, means that the creator’s name is now unknown. That some works can be attributed to an artist, or their working atelier, their genre and approximate time, but sometimes, we just don’t know the actual "who" and can only get close based on the materials and style of the work.
In the vastness of history, knowing exactly “who”, can be problematic even to historians. But knowing is us is never a problem for God.
As a child my grandmother sang a German lullaby, which offers some comfort, and is translated as:
Do you know how many stars there are on the vast heavenly field? God the Father counted them all, so not one would ever be missed.
Do you know how many children are playing over the wide, wide world? God the Father knows them all, and He knows and calls them by name.
On human terms we may at times, want to be anonymous and are in reality are anonymous in the mass of humanity, when time erases our names to future generations. But we are never anonymous to our God.
We are NEVER anonymous to God! Amen and Halleluiah!
Not only does our God know our name, but our fears, hopes, and dreams. He wants, like any parent wants for us to “do good things” and use our short time wisely. Not waste the gift of this life, or the gifts He’s given us.
1. Don’t we by nature, in many ways fight being anonymous? Our desires to be remembered are deeply rooted in our wanting this life to mean something, but is that meaning a selfish desire or for something greater? How can making meaning be greater than a “me” moment?
2. Though our time may be short, we are not anonymous to our God, nor to those who we’ve loved and had community with. Who will never be anonymous to you? And why? And who do you hope will never forget you and your love for them?
PS. I hope that I've made a difference to those I've met along the way. I most certainly remember special family members, teachers and friends. Those I can never thank enough for being there, saying the right words at the right moment, those that even gave me a good "kick-start" when I was stuck.
When I was younger, I dreamed of being famous.
I remember watching television and music videos and thinking, *That's what I want.* I wanted people all over the world to know my name. I wanted others to admire me and say, "Wow!" I craved the attention, the praise, and the recognition. Looking back now, I realize I was simply young and naïve, chasing an illusion that the world had placed before me.
As I grew up, I became convinced that if I could just be beautiful enough, I would someday become famous. I obsessed over my appearance. If I didn't get the clothes or shoes I wanted, I became upset and even resented my parents because I thought those things…