I know you...

Over the past year I have occasionally attended the evening Eucharist at the Episcopal Church around the corner from our house. It is not where I usually go - a church in DC with quite a few bells and whistles - and this little evening service is very informal - most folks in "sunday afternoon" garb of jeans and t-shirt. A few weeks back I got talking to an older lady - this Sunday she came up and introduced herself to me as if for the first time. I tend to be honest in these situations and mentioned that we had met before. She went away and then came back a few minutes later and sat down next to me.

"Thank-you for telling me we had met before, not just carrying on like most people do." I wondered whether most people really do not say anything - she went on to talk about her memory and memories which she had been cherishing during that day as she listened to some old music.

I suspect that many of us have been in the situation where we have forgotten something - or where we hope we have been forgotten. Have you ever been impatient with a stranger in a parking lot or shop and then found them standing next to you in the checkout line....."I hope she/he doesn't remember me," you think to yourself.

I wonder whether we sometimes think that about God - I hope God doesn't remember this or that. When we come into God's presence in prayer God is always ready to say "I have met you before," and not just that but "I know you really well." This is a good thing but it cuts both ways - we are known and loved for who we are but that who we are sometimes trips us up and makes us feel awkward - like a student in the headteacher's office - all twisted up and nervous about ourselves.

But God already knows that too so hiding from ourselves doesn't work very well. God's welcome extends into all the cracks and crevices of our life - even the bits we don't like. "We have met before" is only a partial truth - Psalm 139 says that God knit us together in our mother's womb - no matter what life throws at us that divine spark of creation, that care and that love is always there with us and for us. We have definitely met God before, if only we could live in that meeting, live in that presence, trust ourselves to God's knowing.

Thank-you God, for reminding me how well you know me - and how much you love me anyway!