Five-minute read.
You have searched me, Lord,
and you know me.
Psalm 139:1
God knows all!
“Knows” means complete, divine discernment.[i] Written by David, a “man after God’s own heart” (1 Sam. 13:14), the shepherd boy laid bare his soul before the Lord. Found innocent in his Maker’s sight, David received a verdict of righteousness from the judge. The Lord’s knowledge of the earthly king favored David for his loyalty to the heavenly Master. God washed away David’s sin with His grace and mercy.
Everyone has parts of their story they don’t want others to know about them. Talking with a lifelong friend, she knows the sins of my past.
“That’s because I know what you did in your twenties,” she said.
Laughing, I couldn’t help but agree. And for days after, every time I thought of our conversation, it made me smile. So funny, but also miraculous because God has brought me so far from those days and truly transformed my heart. Confessing my sin to the Lord and letting Him search my heart allowed God to replace my shame with His love. God’s grace helped me forgive myself, let go of my transgressions, and become a new person in Christ.
Having the Lord search your heart can seem like a daunting task. Exposing all our sins takes courage. Fear keeps us quiet, afraid of rejection. But God already knows everything you’ve done or will do. As Creator of the universe and Creator of you, nothing escapes the Master. When God searches our hearts and we reveal our deepest secrets, nothing surprises Him.
Not only does God know what I did in my twenties, but He also knows the unloving thoughts I had yesterday. And He still loves me. Jesus died on the cross knowing the hearts of people:
“Would not God discover this? For he knows the secrets of the heart.”
Psalm 44:21
We can come confidently before the Lord and bear our souls to Him, just as King David did. God already knows because of His complete and divine discernment. But He wants a relationship with us, one that has no walls. Resting in the Creator’s unconditional love for us allows us to accept ourselves. What we think of as imperfect, God makes perfect through Him.
David didn’t fear the Lord searching his heart, nor should we. As we open ourselves up to God, He reveals to us unhealthy areas and then heals them. One hurt at a time, one day at a time, we become whole in Christ, eventually perfect when God calls us into our eternal home with Him.
Application:
No need to hide from God. Once forgiven, always forgiven.
Stepping onto the tee box in front of a stranger, I thought, “Wait until he sees this drive.” Because of my consistent practice, my ball striking in golf improved. The moment I became better at contacting the white, pimpled ball with my club, pride immediately began to raise its head.
“That’s sin! Oh Lord, forgive me.”
My next thought identified and confessed the inappropriate thought. Because God already knows my thoughts, the quicker I identify and admit them to Him, the faster I can let them go.
God already forgave me the minute I asked Him into my life. He knows my struggle with sin will continue until I reach my eternal destination. I don’t need to hide from the Lord; I can live transparently with Him.
Journaling Questions:
- What part of my heart am I hiding from God?
- What fear keeps me from living transparently with the Lord?
- What can I do today to draw closer to Jesus?
Prayer:
Lord, forgive us for trying to hide our imperfections from You. Search our hearts and judge our ways. Let us receive Your grace and mercy as we submit our lives to You. Help us live in Your promises, knowing nothing we do will separate us from Your unconditional love. As we receive Your grace and mercy, help us share it with others, introducing them to their Creator.
In Jesus’s name, I pray,
Amen
[i] Expositor’s Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): Old Testament
Copyright 2004
