God Knows all Things and is Always There
Day 14
by Gini Crawford, MSW
To know us and be there for us
God knows all things, so He knew our state of perfection would be fleeting. He knew before He created us that we would rebel against Him. He knew Adam and Eve would choose what a tree had to offer instead of Him. He also knew His love for us would find its strongest avenue through a tree, the cross. This is a good time for us to learn about how God knows everything, and how He is always there.
O LORD, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, "Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night," even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you. For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you. Psalm 139:1-18 ESV®
From Psalm one hundred thirty-nine, it is clear that God knows everything – your comings and goings. He knows your every thought and even your words before you say them. He intimately knows your ways - the real you. God is always present no matter where you are or what you are doing. He is with you as you go about your daily routine. He is with you during the trials and tribulations of life - bad health, a rebellious child, not enough money, psychological struggles and so forth. You can't flee from God. He even formed you in your mother's womb. Yes, you have never been without God. Comforting thought, isn't it?
Do you ever find yourself thinking, "If people really knew me they wouldn't like me."? If you have those thoughts, and we all can, remember, God created you exactly how He wanted you. He has also seen you at your worst but would never give up on you, because of His love for you. (John 8:1-11; Romans 8:31-39; 1 John 4:9).
What does the fact that God is all knowing and always with you mean to you?
Don't hide but seek God
I would imagine the moment Adam and Eve tasted the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they started to feel something strange. What they felt at that moment must have been quite awful for them. Before they sinned, all their feelings and thoughts were good and pleasant, but now the reality of evil permeated their minds. For the first time ever, many unpleasant feelings such as anxiety must have grabbed hold of their whole beings. How they reacted to God and each other with mistrust, blame, and fear showed how sin was already governing their actions. Adam and Eve tried to cover those awful feelings and thoughts with fig leaves. They were trying to hide from God because of the consequence of their sin.
Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. Genesis 3:7-8 ESV®
I think of how my daughter as a little girl, would hide behind a tiny bush and say, "Mommy I bet you can't see me." It was so cute. However, it isn't cute when we try to hide from God (Isaiah 29:15). Frankly, it is impossible, because of what you would guess - God does know all things and is always there. Don't hide from God, seek Him, because He wants to love you through anything and everything even your sins. (Jeremiah 23:23-24)
Are you trying to hide from God like Adam and Eve did (minus the fig leaves)?
Life Application
God's presence will always be there for us, but our ability to draw near to God is limited because of our sin. Yet, God loves us and wants to be ever so close to us, so Jesus, willingly died for us. Jesus' selfless act allowed His presence to be so intimately close (Colossians 1:13-22; Hebrews 10:19-22).
God's all-knowing presence is always there: It was 2018, the Luang Nang Non cave in Thailand became flooded trapping 12 young boys and their soccer coach for two frightening weeks. From a human standpoint because of the logistics, it was a hopeless situation. Yet, God's all-knowing presence was there, bringing together people with just the right skills and know how, so they all were miraculously saved. One of the boys was a strong Christian sponsored by Compassion International.
As King David said in Psalm one hundred thirty-nine, "God searches me and knows me. Where can I go that God isn't there." Since God knows everything about you and is with you, does this influence your life? Are there changes you should make because God knows it all and is with you? Are you trying to hide a sin from God? Read Jeremiah 23:23–24; Matthew 28:20b; 1 Corinthians 4:5.
Reflect on Jeremiah 23:23-24.