The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Luke 12:2-3,
"There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs."
Here is a sobering reality... God knows it all! He knows everything about me: my thoughts, my feelings, the things I have ever said and done. He knows it all! I can't begin to express the consternation this brings to me! You may have been well-behaved over the years, but I can't say the same for myself.
I am reminded of a couple of other passages that touch on this same theme. "He [the Lord] will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God." 1 Corinthians 4:5. The Lord can only do this if he knows it all. Also, "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." Hebrews 4:13. There simply is no escaping it. Someone knows absolutely everything about us - and that someone is God himself!
In spite of knowing all of my faults, my weaknesses, my shortcomings, the Lord loves me anyway. This is an amazing thing! The very impulse to feel consternation at anyone knowing everything about me is the fear of disapproval, rejection, condemnation… maybe even disgust! But the Lord loves me in spite of my shortcomings, in spite of those things I am not proud of, in spite of poor decisions on my part, in spite of the many ways I have disappointed him and treated him other than my Creator, the God of my life!
How can he love me? This is the one aspect of our God that I find so astonishing! Whether I read John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he sent his Son…" or Romans 5:8, "God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Titus 3:4-5 also comes to mind, "When the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy." So, how do I know these verses apply to me? I know they do because they constitute God's invitation to us all. "To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God…" John 1:12. He loves us all and he invites us all to himself, regardless of how unlovely we might be!
David, who had his own faults knew something of this as he confided in the Lord in Psalm 139, "O Lord, you have searched me 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 know it completely, O Lord. You hem me in—behind and before; you have laid 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. If I say, 'Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,' even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you."
Here is the confession of a murderer and an adulterer. David knew God was aware of everything about him. And, yet, David knew of God's love for him, the same love he has for each of us, in spite of our faults, "I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me." Psalm 13:5-6. This will be the song we will all sing on that wonderful day as we reflect on God's love for us that brought us into his kingdom.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
"There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs."
Here is a sobering reality... God knows it all! He knows everything about me: my thoughts, my feelings, the things I have ever said and done. He knows it all! I can't begin to express the consternation this brings to me! You may have been well-behaved over the years, but I can't say the same for myself.
I am reminded of a couple of other passages that touch on this same theme. "He [the Lord] will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God." 1 Corinthians 4:5. The Lord can only do this if he knows it all. Also, "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." Hebrews 4:13. There simply is no escaping it. Someone knows absolutely everything about us - and that someone is God himself!
In spite of knowing all of my faults, my weaknesses, my shortcomings, the Lord loves me anyway. This is an amazing thing! The very impulse to feel consternation at anyone knowing everything about me is the fear of disapproval, rejection, condemnation… maybe even disgust! But the Lord loves me in spite of my shortcomings, in spite of those things I am not proud of, in spite of poor decisions on my part, in spite of the many ways I have disappointed him and treated him other than my Creator, the God of my life!
How can he love me? This is the one aspect of our God that I find so astonishing! Whether I read John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he sent his Son…" or Romans 5:8, "God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Titus 3:4-5 also comes to mind, "When the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy." So, how do I know these verses apply to me? I know they do because they constitute God's invitation to us all. "To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God…" John 1:12. He loves us all and he invites us all to himself, regardless of how unlovely we might be!
David, who had his own faults knew something of this as he confided in the Lord in Psalm 139, "O Lord, you have searched me 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 know it completely, O Lord. You hem me in—behind and before; you have laid 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. If I say, 'Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,' even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you."
Here is the confession of a murderer and an adulterer. David knew God was aware of everything about him. And, yet, David knew of God's love for him, the same love he has for each of us, in spite of our faults, "I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me." Psalm 13:5-6. This will be the song we will all sing on that wonderful day as we reflect on God's love for us that brought us into his kingdom.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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