You Are Known!

June 23, 2026

“The Lord knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will abide forever; they are not put to shame in evil times; in the days of famine they have abundance.” Psalm 37:18-19

You Are Known!

I felt misunderstood.

I was raised by parents who were small business entrepreneurs. There was always a lot of conversation about balance sheets, profit and loss statements, gross sales, net profit, managing operating expenses, developing marketing plans, supervising employees, etc.

It was probably not a surprise I decided to major in management and marketing when I attended college. I was good at math, possessed a good understanding of business, and I felt led to work in retail management.

Towards the end of my time in college, my calling shifted; Jesus called me to be a preacher! The next thing I know, I was in graduate school studying theology. The mind shift from business where most things could be measured to theology where the focus was on ideas and beliefs was difficult.

Making things even more challenging was my experience with regard to spiritual things. Although I had grown up in Sunday School and student ministry, I did not have much experience in worship. I had read parts of the Bible and one Christian book. Other than those things, my calling grew primarily out of my prayer life.

During that first year at graduate school, my classmates often times struggled to understand my terminology and perspective as well as my way of evaluating things that were being taught. At the same time, I struggled to understand much of what was being taught in the classroom.

I felt misunderstood.

It was not a new feeling. Up to that point, I had felt misunderstood most of my life; by friends when I was in high school, by family when I announced I felt called to be a preacher, in graduate school because of my perspective and leadership style.

I also felt misunderstood after graduate school; by colleagues who struggled to label me, by church people who wanted me to be something different, and by employees who expected things from me I was not willing to compromise.

I felt misunderstood.

I am sure there were times when David felt misunderstood, too. When he fought the giant Philistine soldier named Goliath (see I Samuel 17) , his father and brothers and the soldiers in Israel’s army did not understand David when he took off the traditional armor of a soldier.

They also did not understand David when he abandoned the traditional weapons of an Israeli soldier going into battle. As David picked up a stone to use in his slingshot, I imagine that people did not know what to think. David felt misunderstood.

When David says the Lord God knows our days and our heritage, we can be confident this assurance was important to him. In Psalm 37:18 David writes; “The Lord knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will abide forever…”

If the Lord God knows my days and my heritage, the Lord God knows me!

The Lord God knows my struggles and troubles as well as my victories.

The Lord God knows my hurts and hang-ups as well as my healing.

The Lord God knows my doubts and fears as well as my courage.

The Lord God knows my weakness and inadequacy as well as my strength.

The Lord God knows my helplessness and confusion as well as my hope.

The Lord God knows my sin and separation from God as well as my faith in the Lord.

David shares the promise the Lord God knows us; the Lord God knows my days and my heritage! The Lord knows my needs, my wants, and my desires. The Lord knows my dreams, my fears, and my loneliness. The Lord knows my sadness, my regret, and my shame. The Lord knows my broken heart, my disappointment, and my stubbornness.

The Lord knows my celebrations, my victories, and my devotion.  The Lord knows my eagerness to trust the Lord, my willingness to obey the Lord, and my commitment to serve the Lord.  The Lord knows the focus of my praise, my worship, and my prayers. The Lord God knows me!

The Lord God knows me and understands me. The good news is the Lord still loves me enough to live and die and live again so I know His love, His grace, and His salvation.

Reflection

What goes through your mind when you remember that Jesus knows you, understands you, and still accepts you? Describe how the promise the Lord God knows you…your past, your present, and your future…gives you strength and courage. Describe how being known by your Creator gives you hope for today.

Prayer

Lord God, you know me inside and out. You know my thoughts almost before I think them. You know my feelings almost before I can put a name to them. You know my temptations while they are still just a flash of a thought in my mind. You know my celebrations when I have accomplished something important to me. You know my victories because you were opening the doors to make those possible. I am grateful you know me so well, Lord God. Give me the assurance today that you know me and you still love me just the way I am. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Act

Make a list of things you are thankful the Lord God knows about you today. Make a second list of things that make you uncomfortable when you remember the Lord God knows those things, too. Make a third list of the things the Lord God knows about you that you wish another person knew about you. Can you find an opportunity to share that with a close friend?