Scripture: Psalm 139:1-10 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.
Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
Devotion: As we talk about how God created us and knows us, how we are God’s masterpiece, it might seem intimidating that a holy God knows us so intimately. In fact, God is omniscient. The roots of this word show that God has a knowledge (scientia) of all things (omnia). So, when we put it all together, this means that from our very first days of life, when God created us in our mother’s womb, He has known every thought, motive, and feeling we have ever had. Woah.
Surely, you recall a time when a politician, celebrity, or athlete has had a taped conversation released where they have said some hurtful, offensive, or untrue things. It’s in these moments where I have often said, “Boy, am I glad that every little thing I have said hasn’t been caught on tape.” But the best of my thoughts, and even the worst of my thoughts, whether spoken or kept to myself, are known by God.
The thought of this can make us recoil. Now, where we were supposed to be feeling as though we are good enough because of Jesus, we might be concerned that He will want nothing to do with us. But the opposite is actually true. God’s omniscience can be comfort for us because it shows us that God truly knows us, cares for us, and forgives us just the same. He knows the deepest thoughts and feelings of our hearts, and He still loves us.
God made a promise to remember our sin no more (Jeremiah 31:34). The God who knows our sin also knows our Savior.
When we feel as though we are not good enough, we can find hope and peace in the fact that God knows our very inmost thoughts and still chooses to gift us His grace and mercy. What a God that He would care to know us so intimately and choose to love us so deeply.
Reflect:
- Does the thought of God being omniscient frighten you or comfort you? Why?
