HE KNOWS ME!   
     It's not what you know, it's who you know.  We hear this a lot as we look to improve our station in life.  As people we have a burning desire to be known by people.  This desire starts at a very early age and increases as we get older.  If we're not well known in high school we have wasted four good years.  This is true also in college and continues into our professional life.
     What if nobody knew who you are?  That would be sad indeed.  What if family didn't know you?  Sadder still!  Recently a situation arose that got me to thinking about this.  Civil War buffs will recall a battle that took place on the sea between Union and Confederate  forces.  The first battle of its kind.  The Confederate ship Virginia was going to battle the Union ship Monitor.  The Union leaders didn't want this to happen but President Lincoln went ahead anyway.  It was an unexpected victory for the Union forces that turned the tide of the war and led to victory. 
     But the victory was short lived as the Monitor sank a couple of months later in a ferocious storm.  Of the 63 crew members 16 lost their lives.  In recent times expeditions have discovered the Monitor's resting place on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean, and when trying to salvage portions of the ship, the remains of two of the crew members were also discovered.  While records have recorded the names of those who perished when the ship went down, there was no way to identify the remains of those found.  When these two unknown men were buried recently at Arlington National Cemetery, it was noted it would never be known who they are.  Even descendents of those who died attended the ceremony not knowing who it was being buried.
     I read this article and was saddened by this.  I began to imagine what it would be like not to be known to anyone, not even family.  I then turned my thoughts to the Scriptures and found great comfort in the fact that while men may not know me, my heavenly Father does.  And if my Father knows me, that's all that matters.
     Jesus told His disciples, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." (Jn. 10:27).  In writing to the young man Timothy, Paul writes, "Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knows those who are His. And let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity" (2 Tim. 2:19).  Paul exhorts Timothy and us to make our lives a vessel of honor unto Jehovah by living according to the truth of God's word.
     It's a wonderful thing to be known by people.  It is even better when those who know you also like you.  But what really matters is not how well known I am among men, but that I'm known by God.  The names of those two sailors are unknown to everyone but God.  When you get right down to the bottom line, there are more people who don't know me than those who do.  But when I lay my head down to sleep tonight I will do so with the knowledge my God knows me because I am His covenant child.  That's all that matters.  Rodger