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1 God, investigate my life; get all the facts firsthand. 2 I'm an open book to you; even from a distance, you know what I'm thinking. 3 You know when I leave and when I get back; I'm never out of your sight. 4 You know everything I'm going to say before I start the first sentence. 5 I look behind me and you're there, then up ahead and you're there, too - your reassuring presence, coming and going. 6 This is too much, too wonderful - I can't take it all in! 13 Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother's womb. 14 I thank you, High God - you're breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration - what a creation! 15 You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. 16 Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I'd even lived one day. 17 Your thoughts - how rare, how beautiful! God, I'll never comprehend them! 18 I couldn't even begin to count them - any more than I could count the sand of the sea. Oh, let me rise in the morning and live always with you! (Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18 The Message Bible)
A most tremendous of Thursdays for you, dear Friend! Make this a day of prayer and service. Reach out in love to someone today! God will direct you if you ask, and you don't even have to say, "Pretty please!"
How private or shy are you? I don't want to give myself away, but let's say I love the bathroom stalls in the United Kingdom! If you know, you know! Okay, in the UK, the doors of each stall is like a regular door, not the half door where people can peek in to see if someone is truly using it or not! Okay, for some of you this may be TMI*. *Too Much Information*. But honestly, many of us will only allow so much to be "out in public." And that's okay, but today's passage hits hard! The psalmist has thrown open the curtain to his soul and has it out there for everyone to see! And he has invited us in to an intimate conversation between himself and God. Would you be willing to invite others there? The first line gives it away, "God, investigate my life; get all the facts firsthand. I'm an open book to you; even from a distance, you know what I'm thinking." Whoa, what? Is this where, "He's making a list, checking it twice, gonna find out who's naughty or nice" comes from?
The Bible does speak of God's all-seeing eye. The psalmist wrote that when he sat and when he rose, God knew and knew also where he was going and when he would lay down, and "familiar with all my ways." This may seem a bit unnerving, kinda like living under a microscope, but the deeper truth is not one of surveillance, but of intimacy. God's knowing gaze is not one of judgment, but rather a declaration of His unwavering presence, and a reassurance that we are never truly alone.
This knowledge is beyond words: Even before we form the words on our tongues, God knows what we are thinking. This profound truth offers us comfort and challenge. It whispers comfort because God understands our struggles before we even share them, and it offers challenge because every thought matters, every intention held in the heart is not hidden from the divine eye.
We are embraced in the shadow of wings: The image of God being behind us when we look (v. 5), and "you're there, then up ahead and you're there, too - Your reassuring presence, coming and going." There is a sense of safety and belonging. Even in the darkness, even when uncertainty shrouds our path, God's presence surrounds us, holding us close in a protective embrace. This becomes then our anchor, which reminds us that despite life's twists and turns, we are held secure in the palm of His hand.
The psalmist affirms that we are, according to another version, "Fearfully and wonderfully made." This is a profound truth that carries immense weight. We are not accidental creations; we are divinely crafted, "fearfully and wonderfully made" with purpose and love woven into our very being, which grants us dignity and confidence, reminding us of our unique place in God's grand design.
Friends, what we need to remember from this passage is that we should not shy away from God's awareness. We should find comfort and hope in the knowledge that God loves us and understands us perfectly. We should also affirm that God hears our every thought, and so we should choose to cultivate a mind and heart that reflect His goodness and grace. We should also let the image of God's protective hold wash over us, as God offers us peace and stability amidst the uncertainties of life.
We should never forget that we were "fearfully and wonderfully made" to inspire our confidence in the purpose God has ordained for us. Discouragement should not be a part of us, for the vast knowledge of God is there to inspire us as we explore the depths of His love and grace.
PRAYER: Loving God, thank you for knowing me so intimately, for loving me even in my imperfections. Help me to embrace your unwavering presence in every corner of my life. Guide my thoughts and actions, hold me close in your protective embrace, and may I always remember the wonder of being your beloved creation. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Go forth and let God's knowledge be a source of comfort and inspiration to you.
Receive my love for you and my tnankfulness to God for you,
Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.
