"Am I a child of my father and mother, or an adopted son?"

When I was about ten years old, I discovered what the meaning of 'orphan' was, and began to wonder if I fit in that category. Since I was seemingly so much trouble to my parents at that age, being gregarious and filled with adventure, I constantly met the reprimands of my mom for straying from the house, being late coming home for supper, exploring dangerous things like electricity, and blurting out undesirable things with company present. I didn't seem to mesh well in our family, as if my name were not really Cook, but something else. It troubled me for a year and I finally asked my mom if they'd picked me up at a home.

She pulled out pictures from our collection and showed me what I looked like as a baby in her arms. She seemed pretty happy in those pictures. I had yet to strike out on my own, a baby preceding the boy who had so much curiosity as an inquistive, reckless youngster. I had a name and it WAS the right one! What a relief to find out that I did belong!

A name is a VERY important possession! Not only are we recongnized by it, but through out our lives, it becomes the label of record for hundreds of documents from birth certificates to military lists. We exist as citizens because we enter those qualifications as a result of being born in this country. Millions of people take for granted what could be erased through fire, carelessness, and inteniton.

Imagine becoming a non person through the actions of someone in government! A name, a real legal name is vital to our life on this earth. I belong to the Cook family! I get to eat at that table!

God has the Lamb's Book of Life which lists all the names of the saved, and we are remembered in heaven for the future judgment because our name is written in that book! It only gets there because I accepted Jesus as my Savior and I belong in God's familiy. HE remembers me! He remembers us who have for the very same reason!