[This post is in a weekly devotional series called Everything New. Sign up here if you’re interested.]
Because God is personal, he is a knowing being. His mind perceives truth and defines truth. He embraces us with a knowledge that is not just stored information in a Super-Divine File, but is an extension of love. His knowledge holds us.
“O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord. You hem me in-behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain” (Psalm 139:1-5).
Psalm 147:5 says God’s “understanding has no limit.” “Nothing is hidden from God’s sight” (Hebrews 4:13). When you pray, you can be assured that “the Father knows what you need before you ask him” (Matthew 6:8). He knows the number of hairs on your head. He knows you better than you know yourself. God’s omniscience is our comfort.
Because God’s all-knowing character is an extension of his personality, the Bible is not a mystery book of hidden secrets, and ministers of the gospel of Christ are not soothsayers or crystal-ball gazers. This knowledge is about the way things have been, about the way things are, and about the way things will be–as they must–depending on how we respond to God’s direction.
Christianity is not a horoscope with saints names attached. It is a way of life and a view of the world as it was, is, and will be. Many things that God knows remain secrets or mysteries to us. But many other things are uncovered, especially the consequences of the weighty spiritual and moral decisions we make every day.
God knows everything. Only God knows everything. And only God knows everything about us. That should give us healthy fear (respect), and great assurance.
Excerpt from Putting the Pieces Back Together: How Real Life and Real Faith Connect. Click for more.
I’m so thankful that God my father is all knowing. He truly knows my heart even when I struggle with it myself on a daily basis. Thank you for this devotional today, it really hits home with me . May y’all have the same peace that I have right at this moment. God Bless!!
Who am I,
my own thought,s will send me to hell,when i speak i can only speak of what GOD says.
The truth that God is all-knowing all the time and He knows us better than we know ourselves, that it is His character and an extension of His unconditional love for us – how can we ever feel fear or doubt if we’re truly living a life of faith. It’s definitely not always easy to do the right thing but His mercy endureth forever and is fresh & new everyday. He’ll give us the courage and strength we need to live in this world if we will only but ask. We are truly His and I can’t thank Him enough everyday for saving my life. God bless all of you richly.
Blessings to you all. I am hoping that somebody might shed some light on the concept of a “personal God” for me. I say this with utmost respect, but as I see it, a personal God is an oxymoron–for persons are finite and limited (lest we could not relate to them), and God, by definition, is anything but that. How do I make sense of this? Thank you for any guidance you can provide. Peace, and God bless.
Todd Reinhard
Todd, thanks for the question. For many centuries Christians have used the term “person” or “personal” for God in order to say that God is not just a force (like electricity) or a theory. “Person,” from Latin, persona, means a being who really exists, who is self-conscious, can communicate, has will and rationality, and is capable of relationships. So you are a “person” because you have those characteristics, and so is God. In fact, we are “persons” only because we have been created by a personal God.
So to say “personal God” does not mean “human God,” which is an oxymoron as you say. Rather, “personal God” means the transcendent one who knows, understands, speaks, and wills to have a relationship with us.
Todd, to me when talking about a personal God, meaning an intimate God. He is our Father, when having a father in your life wouldn’t you want one that is intimate/personal/understanding/loving/gracious, etc….?
Thanks GOD BLESS YOU AND THE TEAM
I agree with the Psalmist, such knowledge is too wonderful for me to ascertain. I bow my heart to Him.