Daily Bible Readings
Today’s Devotion by Telva Elwell (SC)
Psalms 139:1-4, 7-12
“Oh LORD, you have searched me and known me!” (vs 1)
“Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? You are there!” (vs 7,8)
Oh, the useless extremes we go to so that we can hide our sins from God! Like David, we cannot escape. But oh, how we try! We duck behind our good works, we keep our sins hidden in our pocket of secret thoughts, we cling to the hope that we won’t be found out, we say all the right things at the right time in front of the right people, and sometimes we even try to hide our sins on a battlefield. (2 Samuel 11) Somehow, we think that God won’t see the real us through the façade. As we live out our lives, we pretend we can hide in the darkness and find comfort in being hidden in it, even though it is God who created the darkness (Isa 45:7) and to God, darkness shines as brightly as the light. (vs 11) If we were to ascend to the heavens it is not to pray, but to escape God’s presence. If we were to descend to the depths of Sheol, it would be to escape embarrassment, pain, and despair, and find relief in deep sleep. Even if we take the wings of morning and dwell in the deepest parts of the seas to escape God, He is still there. (vs 7-9) We cannot hide. God knows us and sees us. (vs 1-4)
And then that moment comes when we tire of the useless games of hide and seek, of running, hiding, being found by Him, only to run away again. Slowly we are learning that God is omniscient and omnipresent and that we can never win. But those frustrating deep theological words only make us more fearful of Him. We feel as though we are under surveillance. We often look over our shoulder hoping no one, especially God, can see us or hear us. But God knows and sees everything, and He is always there. We cannot escape His ears or eyes. We feel hopeless, caught and forever trapped like a stray dog who has wandered away from home, hemmed in by God.
We get tangled up in our web of sin and we grow weary. Deep inside we know those games, facades and deceit are not going to bring us the peace we desire. All the battle fields where we buried our sins are still there and they haunt us. What will cause us to stop running and hiding, and finally realize that the peace and solace we sorely desire is found only in God? When will we realize that the games we play are useless, but that we are not useless or unworthy—just like David, who despite his sin was a man after God’s own heart? (Acts 13:22) What will it take?
Reflection Questions:
- Think of your closest family member or best friend. Do you believe that you are truly and completely known by them? Why is it difficult to allow even those closest to you to know you completely?
- Can you know yourself completely? Why or why not? What causes you to distort how you view yourself?
- David says that God knows when you sit, get up, travel, or when you sleep. Why do you believe that God cares or even notices the simple things in your daily life? How does that make you feel about God?
- If God knows what you are going to say before you even say it, how does that make you feel? Why? Does it make you think twice before you speak?
- Do you feel comfort or fear in knowing that God is always with you?
- Do you at times try to hide from God? Why? What are some of the ways that you try to hide from God?
Prayer
Dear Almighty Lord God – You are the amazing Creator who knows me fully – and yet does not run away from me! It says so much about You, that You still want a relationship with me. You know all my quirks, all my thoughts, all my sins, all the times I have failed you and You still see my potential and what You have made me to be. Help me see what You see, Father. And then help me seek You, Your Word and Your Way Always. In Your precious son’s name, Amen.
