Psalm 139:1-6 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. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
I’ve lived in this small town most of my life. I moved away to a bigger city after college to chase my career dreams, but that only lasted about six months. I missed home terribly, and my heart is here. We have travelled to so many wonderful, beautiful places, but that old saying is true. There is no place like home. A lot of people don’t like small town life, but this girl loves it! There really is no place I’d rather be other than the streets of heaven. The thing I love about small town life is the thing that a lot of people hate about a small town. Everybody knows everybody. I can not tell you how many times I have been pumping gas or getting groceries or just running errands, and have had an older gentleman walk up to me and say, “You are Dempsey’s daughter. You look just like him. How is your Dad?” And there have been numerous times after introducing myself to a new patient in the clinic that I’ve been asked, “Hodge. What Hodge are you related to?” I proudly answer that my in-laws are J.B. and Donna to which I receive a smile of approval. People know me. They know my family and my extended family, and they care about us as part of a tight knit community. Small town life is a place where a name means something to people. People aren’t in your business. People are in your hearts. I love being a little fish in this little pond, and I’d choose it over being a big fish in the biggest ocean any time!
However, in this great big ocean of life, I can still rest assured that I am known to the Father. He knows me. There are billions of people on this earth divided between tiny towns and huge metropolises, but even with that humongous number of people living today, I have a promise that God knows me personally. It’s just like small town life. God knows me. He knows my family. He knows my extended family. He knows when I sit down and when I rise. He even knows my thoughts. He is familiar with all of my ways. He even knows the words that I am about to speak or write before they escape my tongue. He truly knows me. He gets me. And even though He knows every detail about my life, He loves me!
I have to wonder though, when I bump into a stranger, do they recognize who my Father is? Do they see a resemblance to Christ in my attitudes and actions? Do they realize that I am a child of God? I’ve been told that I look just like my Daddy. I usually respond with, “I guess I’d be good looking if I was a man.” I know I look like him, and I really don’t mind that at all. The genetics are strong. But what about my heavenly Father? Oh, how I want to look like Him. I am so thankful to be known by Christ, and I want the world to know that I am His and He is mine. I am blessed to be known by my Father.
In this great big old world, whether you live in a huge city or a tiny little town, God knows you too. He knows you personally. He knows every little thing about you. He knows every detail about you and even the number of hairs on your head. Isn’t it great to know that we are known! We are known by our heavenly Father. He knows you, and He knows me. Let us let the world know that we are His!
Side note: My dear Daddy has had COVID-19 for 15 days, and he has had a fever for 15 straight days. He developed pneumonia, but follow up x-ray yesterday shows that this has improved. Other than the fever, he is doing well, but that fever is making him feel so bad. Please lift him up in prayer today. I love him so much, and I know that God is in control. Pray for the fever to leave his body for good! Thank you for your prayers! I pray that you all stay safe and healthy as we enter this holiday season!
Inspirations from the Funny Farm 