I Know You Know Me

The other day I was listening to one of the many iTunes curated playlists that I subscribe to, and a song came on that got my attention.  I ended up listening to it no less than three times in a row, and I've been thinking about the lyrics ever since. 

The song is "I Know You Know Me" by Caroline Spence and Matt Berninger, two indie singer/songwriters, who are definitely worth exploring. 

This collaboration between Spence and Berninger is a back and forth conversation between two people who may or may not be together in the moment, but in spite of that, they each feel the longing to know and be known is fulfilled in the other. 

These are the lyrics that really sparked my imagination: 

When I go out and try to walk alone
Pretending I don't need a hand to hold
I'm hiding, but I know that you can see
I know you know me

No matter where the storm is in my mind
It'll never be a place that you can't find
You hold the candle, oh, you hold the key
I know you know me... 

The chorus is just the simple refrain, "I know you know me" repeated over and over again softly, and with the kind of emotion that tugs at your heart.  

Sometimes it takes a song to really get me connected to the deeper truths of life, the universe, and everything.  I am betting there are some of you out there who feel the same way.  

What I love about this song is that works on so many levels. It speaks to the desire that we all share to have people in our lives who know who we are, and who love us either because of or in spite of what they know about us.  

And who come and find us when we are lost... 

But this song also speaks to a deeper truth about the kind of relationship we long for with the Divine---the kind of relationship where we live in the confidence that we are known and loved by God. 

The ancient Hebrew poet who penned Psalm 139 felt this kind of confidence when they wrote lines like this: 

You have searched me, Lord,

    and you know me.

You know when I sit and when I rise;

    you perceive my thoughts from afar.

You discern my going out and my lying down;

    you are familiar with all my ways... 

In my particular faith community, the idea of being known and loved by God is one of the most important things for the children of our church to not only learn but to embrace for the rest of their life. 

I love that we do this.  It means that generations of children will grow up in our church with this knowledge imparted to them.  

I know that it's possible they may drift from the church as they move into adulthood, but at the very least they can carry what they learned with them wherever they go. 

I  am also aware that there are plenty of us who might have received a different message growing up.  We may have been taught that God was severe, transactional, quick to judge, and frequently angry at us. 

That God doesn't exist.  You need to know this. 

Hear this good news today.  You are not only loved by God, you are loved by God in an intimate and knowing way.  You are loved, to be sure, but you are also known.  

You are known in your broken moments, your loneliness, heartbreak, and despair. 

You are known in the midst of poor decisions, mistakes, willfulness, and pride.  

You are also known in your moments of vulnerability, true humility, repentance, and genuine gratitude.  

You are known in all the ways that you are, and the ways that you aren't.  You are known as you seek to know, to learn what it means to love God and others.  

You are known. 

Live into the joy and hope of this knowledge and never let it leave your heart for an instant.  

May it be so, and may the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you now and always. Amen.