Sidney

The town of Sidney sits in the far eastern edge of the Montana, surrounded by wide open, vacant spaces. Its “airport” consists of four walls, a roof, and a waiting area about the size of a large living room. It is the extreme, 180 degree opposite of the enormous, crowded airports I am used to traveling through.

Flights depart from Gate 1, a door out to the tarmac.

There is no Gate 2.

Being so used to the bustle of larger airports, it unnerved me to walk in to an airport, and immediately realize I was totally alone. Well, almost alone. I interrupted a woman behind the desk using the telephone. “Hold on,” she murmured into the receiver when she saw me enter, then she called out with a smile, “Hey! You must be Sean!”

Caught off guard, I froze, and looked at her quizzically. People at the check-in counters in airports do not act like they know you.

But this was Sidney. “You’re the only one flying out today. So, you’re the only name on the passenger list.” She laughed and waved me in, like she was welcoming me into a party. “C’mon in!”

Oddly, this woman in the middle of nowhere, whom I had never met before, acted so familiar toward me. She only knew my name, and where I was going. But she was welcoming, friendly, and happy to see me.

Imagine the welcoming God will give each of us in Heaven, since He knows so much more about us, and is intimately familiar with each of us. After all, He says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you” (Jeremiah 1:5, NIV). Because He made us, He knows intimate details about each of us, like the exact number of hairs on our heads (Matthew 10:30, NIV). To be “known” by God goes far beyond knowing just our names.

But to be known by Him requires something on our part, too: “If anyone loves God [with awe-filled reverence, obedience and gratitude], he is known by Him [as His very own and is greatly loved].” (1 Corinthians 8:3, AMP).

If we truly love God, He’ll be waiting to welcome us in, allowing us to pass through Gate 1 on our journey to our eternal home. Are you known by God?