This is me and Leigh with JT Olsen, founder and director of Both Hands. This is one of our favorite ministries. They are doing amazing work to serve widows and orphans. https://bothhands.org

Stunning! Part 1 

Psalms 139

O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and I rise up. You understand my thought from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, and are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold, O Lord, You know it all. 

You have enclosed me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is too high, I cannot attain to it. 

We don’t often get alone and release our minds to think deeply of God. Deeply, expansively and comprehensively.   

We think of God on and off and perhaps, sometimes often. When we do, we will whisper words of thanks or words expressing our need for help. We love Him and He loves us! It’s simple and beautiful like the beauty of a tender-loving mother and her nursing baby. Our God is a wonderous God and He loves us. But Psalms 139 goes deeper. 

The invention of the television and its golden age in the ‘50s and ‘60s was a wonderous time of new technology. However, today we know it was a horrible picture of fuzzy, blurry, black and white images. But to me, as a young child in the ‘60s, it was a wonderous thing. 

What if we could walk into a living room in 1962 and place a 60-inch big screen next to their TV.  What if we could plug it into the wall and display a glorious high definition picture next to their 14-inch black and white fuzzy picture. The family in their living room would be stunned; speechless; breathless. Their mouths would be frozen open with awe. 

We tend to view God through a 1960’s black and white Television. God is so great that even through that ancient screen, He is astounding. It’s simple and it’s good but there is more. Psalms 139 takes us to a whole new experience. Psalms 139 is a 60-inch flat screen, high definition wonder. Behold Him and be amazed. Warning: The Psalms 139 view of God is majestic and glorious but is also very personal and even a little scary. 

First, God is all knowing. Yes, God obviously knows everything about everything.  But the emphasis of David’s words is that God knows everything about ME. Lord, you not only know every action and every move I make, you know my thoughts, my motives and intentions behind them all. Verse 4 says, “behold, O Lord, YOU KNOW IT ALL.” Is this a good thing or a scary thing? Depends on your perspective. 

I can’t hide. I can’t run. I can’t take a break from You or avoid Your involvement in my life. There’s no “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” with you. I can’t compartmentalize my life with You.  

It goes way beyond just knowledge as awareness. God is “intimately acquainted with all my ways.” In reading Ps 139:1-18, it seems as if there are only two beings in all of creation: God and David. Therefore, if you read it reflectively, it’s about YOU and GOD!!! Soak in that truth for a few moments.  

God doesn’t think of you in a “finite” way as if there only so much of Him to go around. No. Instead, Lord, you never turn away from me; you are never distracted or bored. There is no A.D.D. in You. Your thoughts toward me are constant, consistent and continual with no lapse, no peak and no decline. 

Lord, your knowledge of me and your attention toward me is not only your awareness but in your knowledge of me YOU LEAD ME AND GUIDE MY EVERY STEP.  You know me and You care! Consider verse 5:  

“You have enclosed me behind and before and laid your hand upon me…Even there Your hand will lead me, and Your right hand will lay hold of me.” 

Father God, thank you for your care, your attention and intimacy. May I think of you more, listen to you more, be aware of you more, enjoy intimacy with your more – love you more! Amen!