Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, You know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me. It is high. I cannot attain it. (Verses 4-6)
In a recent conversation with a friend whose faith was wavering, I asked her this question: "Do you want a God Who is as surprised as you are at every little thing that happens, or do you want a God Who is prescient, knows you inside out, has the world in His hands and your life in His scope?" It's a daunting question, actually. Because the god who is surprised with you about life is no god at all. Perhaps pantheistically. He set the world in motion then stepped back and let it spin. But that God isn't even interested in what happens to the universe or us. That does free one up to do whatever she wants, though. No one really cares what happens if God made the world then flew off to another realm and let us be. The God of the Bible is a personal, involved, and loving Father to children He has chosen to be His for eternity. He knows the beginning from the end because He is the Alpha and the Omega. Our God, then, knows what we are going to say before we say it. What we are going to do before we do it. God knows me and all the other billions of people who live and who have ever lived and who will live in the days to come. Each spirit covered in these tents of flesh. We all came from the infinite dwelling place of the God of All. It's very hard to fathom. God's breath so close to our faces. God's eyes watching our choices. God's hand atop our heads in blessing. God's messengers standing about us as a hedge of protection against the wiles of our enemy. The Person, God. The Triune One Who made us a triunity to be like Him: body, soul and spirit. We can't get away from that God.
Bill and I were challenged several years ago when we had to sell our home in order to move to a different state. He went ahead in front of us while I stayed with the children to sell our house, which was in the country in an out-of-the-way community that didn't bring a barrage of buyers to our door. As the weeks of trying to sell the place turned into months, Bill tended to languish in loneliness. So every day he would take a long walk in a field near the hotel where he was staying. There were no set paths in the grassy pasture, so he'd wander in all directions praying and quoting scripture to his God. Psalm 139. Because it made Bill aware that though he was a lonely father and husband, he was not alone. As his feet cut through the tall crunchy weeds on a summer's eve, Bill reminded himself and God that God knows all about our present moment. How confused we are. How we long for family. God knows the very psalm He put into Bill's spirit for comfort and strength. Urged my husband, in love, to repeat it for confidence in the Father's knowing altogether what is going on in our lives at any given time. And that God isn't looking at it all with passive indifference wondering what on earth we are going to do about the mess. No! He's working it out for us. With us. Stepping in front of us on the path when He sees the enemy blocking our way. Hemming us in when dangers He won't allow pop up on our journey. We walk with Him having our back and showing us the way forward. Bill was reminding me of this yesterday as I was telling him that I didn't feel like I could do Psalm 139 justice in these Psalm Calm blogs. It is my favorite. It speaks for itself. But the daily reminder of God's continuing Presence as confidant, comforter and counselor was what got my husband through those trying days of separation. That God knows. Cares. Listens. Watches. Protects. Blesses. Hears. Who has a God so wonderful? Can we ever hear about such love too much?
It brings such peace to know my Father's face is so very close to mine. That if I close my eyes, I can see myself reach up with both my hands and caress His face between them. To look into His eyes as the child that I am and speak to this One Who loves me. That just as I want to be there for my own kids, our Abba wants to be with me. To hold me close so that His fragrance stays upon my skin as I go and do today. So that I cannot forget my God is there, in everything, in every way, this moment and until I know as I am known. It is too wonderful for me!
In a recent conversation with a friend whose faith was wavering, I asked her this question: "Do you want a God Who is as surprised as you are at every little thing that happens, or do you want a God Who is prescient, knows you inside out, has the world in His hands and your life in His scope?" It's a daunting question, actually. Because the god who is surprised with you about life is no god at all. Perhaps pantheistically. He set the world in motion then stepped back and let it spin. But that God isn't even interested in what happens to the universe or us. That does free one up to do whatever she wants, though. No one really cares what happens if God made the world then flew off to another realm and let us be. The God of the Bible is a personal, involved, and loving Father to children He has chosen to be His for eternity. He knows the beginning from the end because He is the Alpha and the Omega. Our God, then, knows what we are going to say before we say it. What we are going to do before we do it. God knows me and all the other billions of people who live and who have ever lived and who will live in the days to come. Each spirit covered in these tents of flesh. We all came from the infinite dwelling place of the God of All. It's very hard to fathom. God's breath so close to our faces. God's eyes watching our choices. God's hand atop our heads in blessing. God's messengers standing about us as a hedge of protection against the wiles of our enemy. The Person, God. The Triune One Who made us a triunity to be like Him: body, soul and spirit. We can't get away from that God.
Bill and I were challenged several years ago when we had to sell our home in order to move to a different state. He went ahead in front of us while I stayed with the children to sell our house, which was in the country in an out-of-the-way community that didn't bring a barrage of buyers to our door. As the weeks of trying to sell the place turned into months, Bill tended to languish in loneliness. So every day he would take a long walk in a field near the hotel where he was staying. There were no set paths in the grassy pasture, so he'd wander in all directions praying and quoting scripture to his God. Psalm 139. Because it made Bill aware that though he was a lonely father and husband, he was not alone. As his feet cut through the tall crunchy weeds on a summer's eve, Bill reminded himself and God that God knows all about our present moment. How confused we are. How we long for family. God knows the very psalm He put into Bill's spirit for comfort and strength. Urged my husband, in love, to repeat it for confidence in the Father's knowing altogether what is going on in our lives at any given time. And that God isn't looking at it all with passive indifference wondering what on earth we are going to do about the mess. No! He's working it out for us. With us. Stepping in front of us on the path when He sees the enemy blocking our way. Hemming us in when dangers He won't allow pop up on our journey. We walk with Him having our back and showing us the way forward. Bill was reminding me of this yesterday as I was telling him that I didn't feel like I could do Psalm 139 justice in these Psalm Calm blogs. It is my favorite. It speaks for itself. But the daily reminder of God's continuing Presence as confidant, comforter and counselor was what got my husband through those trying days of separation. That God knows. Cares. Listens. Watches. Protects. Blesses. Hears. Who has a God so wonderful? Can we ever hear about such love too much?
It brings such peace to know my Father's face is so very close to mine. That if I close my eyes, I can see myself reach up with both my hands and caress His face between them. To look into His eyes as the child that I am and speak to this One Who loves me. That just as I want to be there for my own kids, our Abba wants to be with me. To hold me close so that His fragrance stays upon my skin as I go and do today. So that I cannot forget my God is there, in everything, in every way, this moment and until I know as I am known. It is too wonderful for me!
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