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Well, we’re back from our little excursion into the world called vacation. Part of me is glad; a lot of me wonders why we didn’t stay there, at least until Spring. Anyway, it’s good to be about the Lord’s business.
Scripture for the day: Psalm 139:1-6 Oh Lord, you have searched me 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 know it completely, O Lord.  You hem me in – behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
Thought for the day: Every once in a while, I pause to think of how far mankind has progressed in the physical world; the diseases conquered, the technological advances made, and the sheer amount of knowledge available to the average human being. They say, whoever they is, that the amount of available knowledge doubles every 18 months. I fear that may be true. Think about the past for a moment; in 1903, the Wright brothers first achieved powered flight when they flew their flimsy craft an amazing 120 feet. 66 years later Neil Armstrong stepped from the landing craft Eagle and became the first human being to set foot on the moon. Knowledge in other areas has increased at an equally dizzying rate, and a lot of that knowledge is about you and me.
 If you go on-line to search for something, you will immediately begin to see ads aimed at that subject, no matter what it may be. There are thousands of people in the world who are gathering information about you every day; what you eat, what you watch on TV, listen to, and read. They know your age, your health status, your like and dislikes. It’s enough to make a person paranoid. I’ve said it before; with your smart phone, you now have the sum total of all human knowledge in the palm of your hand, accessible any time, day or night. And what do we do with this knowledge? We take selfies and watch cat videos.
 Now for the good news; no matter how much others may know about you and your habits, they will never know what God knows. The assurance of His presence and His intimate knowledge of the tiniest details about us is what this 139th Psalm is all about. It’s meant for reassurance, not intimidation. Let’s take a look at it.
 When we begin to read this Psalm, we are immediately confronted with the person of God, Yahweh, the all-powerful covenant-keeping God of the universe. He is the One who is with His people wherever they may roam. This is just about God; it’s about knowing God, having a personal relationship with Him. Because He knows us so intimately, we can come to know Him as well. And knowing the Lord, not just about Him, solves the vast majority of the problems we face. Knowing God makes us more loving. Being more loving enables us to get along with others better. That alone should solve a lot of problems. Knowing God and trusting in Him relieves us of a universe full of worries and anxiety. Fear is relegated to the background of our lives when we know the One who loves us and cares about our every move. We can look forward to the future as an adventure because we know He’s already been there and has it under control. 
 Once there was a census taker interviewing a lady for his records. He asked, “How many children do you have who live in the house with you?”
 “Well, let’s see,” she replied, “There’s Harry, and there’s Martha, and there’s George, and …”
 “Please lady, never mind the names; just give me the number.”
 The woman got indignant and said, “They don’t have numbers sonny, they all have names.”
 Here’s the good news from the pen of David the Psalmist – with God, you have a name. You are a person to the Lord. He knows you personally, and He knows you individually. The amazing thing is, at least for my, that with all He knows about you and me, He loves us anyway. Remember, what Paul told Timothy, he says to us as well: “The Lord’s foundation stands firm, having this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are His…’” If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it.
Now go take on your world.  -  Bill