There are two readings for today.
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 139
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
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. [Psalm 139:1-4]
How does this make you feel?
To know that God knows everything about me – what I am saying, thinking and doing, even before I do it!
How we feel about this will depend on how we feel about what we are thinking, saying and doing?
If we are engaged in something less than honourable, it will not be nice to know that God knows; if we are serving and loving Him, it’s nice to know He knows.
Or if we are in trouble, it’s comforting to know that He sees.
But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. [Matthew 6:6-8]
In talking about prayer, Jesus urges His followers to focus on the invisible, always present and all-knowing, all-seeing God.
If your focus is on God, it will be comforting to know that He sees and knows.
But if our focus is on ourselves, or our own pleasures or desires, then it will make us uncomfortable to know that God knows our motives, our hearts.
He sees whether we are sincere and honest, or just putting on a show.
God wants sincere, honest worship and can tell if that is what we are giving Him.
True worshipers … worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth. [John 4:23-24]
Do we think of God as omnipotent (all powerful) omniscient (all knowing) and omnipresent (everywhere present)?
How does this make us feel?
David discovers that there is nowhere to hide: Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? [Psalm 139:7]
The worse thing that we can do is try to hide; it’s stupid and impossible.
The best thing to do is to run towards Him, to open ourselves in humility and honesty and allow Him to lovingly help us.
Resistance is futile; surrender to Him, it’s the best way to go!
Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. [Psalm 139:23-24]
PRAYER:
Lord, we can run but we cannot hide. And why should I hide, when being seen and known by You is actually the best way to live!
Remember the game of ‘Hide and Seek’? That game is impossible with God. Wherever I am, He is there. I am always in His presence. When I have good thoughts, He knows them . When I have bad thoughts He knows them. He knows all my thoughts and actions. I can’t hide from His presence. Ouch!
What a wonderful thought. I am in His presence at all times. When I am happy, He is there. When I am sad, He is there. When all things go my way, He is there. When the whole world seems to go against me, He is there. There is no hiding from Him because He is always there, even before I was created. What an awesome God! I am always in His presence. There is no hide and seek in Him. I am always with Him and He is always with me. Therefore I am a conqueror because He directs my feet. I just need to acknowledge that fact as I enter this day – Today God is First. He is every day. I need to put God first also in my thoughts as I live in His presence for I can not hide from Him.
And so today, and every day, I need God to be my Guide. He knows what is best for me. I just need to let go and let God be God in my life. GodStrong so I can be MeStrong.
Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah,
[or Guide me, O Thou great Redeemer…]
Pilgrim through this barren land.
I am weak, but Thou art mighty;
Hold me with Thy powerful hand.
Bread of Heaven, Bread of Heaven,
Feed me till I want no more;
Feed me till I want no more.
Open now the crystal fountain,
Whence the healing stream doth flow;
Let the fire and cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through.
Strong Deliverer, strong Deliverer,
Be Thou still my Strength and Shield;
Be Thou still my Strength and Shield.
Lord, I trust Thy mighty power,
Wondrous are Thy works of old;
Thou deliver’st Thine from thralldom,
Who for naught themselves had sold:
Thou didst conquer, Thou didst conquer,
Sin, and Satan and the grave,
Sin, and Satan and the grave.
When I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside;
Death of deaths, and hell’s destruction,
Land me safe on Canaan’s side.
Songs of praises, songs of praises,
I will ever give to Thee;
I will ever give to Thee.
Musing on my habitation,
Musing on my heav’nly home,
Fills my soul with holy longings:
Come, my Jesus, quickly come;
Vanity is all I see;
Lord, I long to be with Thee!
Lord, I long to be with Thee!