The fact God knows what we’re going through is comforting. It’s amazing to realize He knows each of us by name. But too often, we leave our thoughts of what God thinks about us there and go no deeper. In Psalm 139, David makes it crystal clear that God is intimately aware and present in every moment and aspect of our lives. His presence is an overwhelming fact, not just a trite bumper sticker.
There is nothing we think, say, do, or desire that catches Him off-guard or unaware. He knew it before we ever spoke, thought, did, or desired it. While this is an enormous comfort, it should also fill us with a fear of how unholy and unworthy we are to be in His presence, much less receive His help and salvation.
Taking a deeper look at Psalm 139, we can learn many things about what God knows. From the very beginning of the Psalm, we see God has searched us through and through (Psalm 139:1). He knows every minute detail about us. Nothing could ever escape His notice. Verse two reveals God knows every action we take. He knows when we sit, stand, come, and go. We cannot hide anything we do from our God.
In the same verse, we also learn God knows our every thought. That should unsettle all of us. I’ve come a long way in controlling my actions, but my thoughts remain a work in progress. Who among us would ever want our private thoughts exposed to the holy God? Yet, they are. Before we even think a thought, He already knows. Since He knows our thoughts, that means He sees everything we choose to consume. Our entertainment choices are not a mystery to Him.
Verse four should convict us all. He knows every word we speak before it is even on our tongue. The apostle Paul admonishes us to only speak words that build others up and to never tear them down (Ephesians 4:25-5:5). As long as we are speaking encouraging words, we’re okay with God knowing what we say. Let me ask you an honest question: what percentage of your words are uplifting and what percentage is full of gossip, derision, spitefulness, jealousy, and arrogance? I don’t fare so well on that test. How about you? Remember, God knows every word you speak before you speak it. He hears everything.
Ultimately, God knows the bent of our hearts. He knows the truth about who we are, not the person we project ourselves to be. Every second of every minute of every hour of every day, God sees, hears, and observes us. Everything we do will reveal whether we have surrendered our hearts to Him or if we are living for selfish pleasures and desires. The person we profess to be does not fool God. He knows us far too well to be conned by the façade. Remember, no matter what we think, say, do, or desire, God knows. Our life is on full display to the Holiest of holies. I suggest we keep this in mind as we go throughout our days.