God and Me
Text: Psalms 139:1-24
Introduction: Visiting the jail with my Granddad, the
preacher. Two boys about my age who were on their way to prison for stealing
cars.
God's Knowledge of Me Ps 139:1-6
O LORD, thou hast
searched me, and known me. Thou knowest
my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down,
and art acquainted with all my ways. For
there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it
altogether. Thou hast beset me behind
and before, and laid thine hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto
it.
God's Omniscience
Definition: Omniscience
By the omniscience of God, we mean that He knows Himself and
all other things, whether they be actual or merely possible, whether they be
past, present, or future, and that He knows them perfectly and from all
eternity. He knows thins immediately,
simultaneously, exhaustively and truly.
He also knows the best ways to attain His desired ends. - Henry Thiesan
"Lecture in Systematic Theology"
In Hebrews 4:13 it says, "There is no creature that is
not manifest in his sight; but all things are naked and laid open before the
eyes of Him with whom we have to do."
But please understand that God's omniscience is nothing more
than a definition in a book to me, unless I realize how that attribute of God
affects me. This is what David is saying in the first 6 verses of our passage.
He says, O Lord,
You have Searched and Known me
You know when I sit down and when I stand up
You understand my thoughts from far away
You surround the places I walk and where I lay down
You are acquainted with all my ways
You know my words before I speak them
You know where I am going and where I have been.
For David this intimate knowledge that God had of him, was
not an invasion of his privacy but a wonderful reassurance of God's care and
protection of David as His child. God knews all things but in that knowledge
God knows him personally. God knew where
he was and what he was thinking. God knew where he was going and where he had
been and in that knowledge, David saw
the love of God.
Awed or Affronted by God's Knowledge of us
What about us are we awed by God’s knowledge of us or are we
affronted by it? Do we rejoice as
David did, that this knowledge is more than
just one of God's attributes or characteristics, but is to us a reflection of
His personal interest in us. The difference between awe and offense, probably
depends on my relationship with the One who knows me as no other can.
If I am his child, then this knowledge is too wonderful for
me, it is high, I cannot comprehend it. But if I am not His, if I refuse to
acknowledge the God who created, loved and paid the price of his own son’s life
for my redemption, then such knowledge should bring terror not awe. The world
and all its woe cannot hide the child of God from the love of his heavenly
Father nor can the world and all its sin hide the rebel from the wrath of a
holy and righteous God. You cannot choose to hide, but whether you rejoice in
that truth or whether you deny that truth is your choice.
As a child of God, I can appreciate and find strength in God's
knowledge of who I am. I will be awestruck by what God and I share, this intimacy
that God has with me, this tender open relationship which His omniscience has made
possible.
Do you realize that God is the only being in all the
universe you can be totally honest with?
You certainly can't hide anything so be honest, be open and be yourself.
You should just enjoy the wonderful fellowship of God.
When I think of this passage, I can’t help but think of the
first time David may have been made aware of God’s knowledge of him.
Illustration. God looks on the heart.
Samuel looking at Jesse's sons for the next king of
Israel.
Samuel looked upon the outward form but God was looking upon
the heart, in 1 Samuel 16:7, "Look
not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature: because I have refused
him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward
appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.”
The Lord looks upon the heart. I think of this and wonder
what did God see when he called me to salvation and service? What did he see
when he called you? And most importantly what is God seeing right now as He
looks on our hearts?
Transition: David continues to revel in his relationship
with God.
From God's Omniscience he now considers God's omnipresence,
in vs. 7-12
God's Presence with Me Ps 139:7-12
Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee
from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make
my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the
morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall
thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the
darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the
darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness
and the light are both alike to thee.
God's Omnipresence
Definition:
Omnipresence: By the omnipresence of God we mean His infinitude in
relation to His creatures. Because God is immense, He is omnipresent. - Henry
Thiessen. (Isn’t that a great definition? When was the last time you hear the
word infinitude?) What Thiessan is saying is that God fills the universe
therefore His is everywhere in the universe.
I like this definition from the American Heritage
Dictionary: Present everywhere simultaneously.
Paul said this in Acts 17:27, "He is not far from each
one of us; for in him we live, and move, and have our being"
David's definition, really his description, is again very
personal, in vss 7-8, “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I
flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I
make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.”
David was not trying to run from God, he was rejoicing in
the character of God as it impacted his life.
Look at vs 9-12
Your hand shall lead me. Your right hand, the hand of power,
shall hold me.
In verse 11, “If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me;
even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee;
but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to
thee.
David is saying, I may be convinced that I am covered in the
utter darkness of the night, but your presence turns the darkness into light.
He expresses his thankfulness for God being with him at all
times in all the blackest trial, sorrows
and pain.
Comforted by God's presence with us
Isn’t this also one of the greatest promises for the NT
believer? Next to the promise of eternal life, don’t you find hope and
reassurance knowing that God is always with you?
Jesus said, "I will not leave you comfortless, I will
come unto you." in John 14.
In Matthew 28 He said, "Lo, I am with you alway. Even to the end of the world."
We often underestimate and take for granted this powerful
promise.
Illustration; Jesus in the ship when the storm strikes.
"Why were you so afraid?" he asks the disciples.
Well why shouldn’t they be afraid? They were in an open boat in the middle of a
terrible storm. Had Jesus promised them a miracle or safe passage? No! Then why
would he reprimand them about their fear?
It was because even though he had not made any specific
promise about that specific storm. They still had one thing that should have
given them courage. They had Jesus with them in the fury of the storm. All they
could fully count on was his presence and that was more than enough.
Why are we so afraid in the storms of our life? Isn’t Jesus in the ship of my soul and as the
song says, "no tempest can swallow the ship where lies the master of ocean
and earth and skies." (Can you hear the crescendo?)
Listen, I never can be sure of the outcome of every trial I
go through, but I can always be sure of the One who goes through that trial
with me.
Transition:
The theologian, J. I Packer wrote a book titled,
"Knowing God" In it he said, "Living becomes an awesome business
when you realize that you spend every moment of your life in the sight and
company of an omniscient, omnipresent God.
This is the truth that David realized but still he was not
through praising God. Next he is humbled by the power of God as it directly
affects him. Look at vs 13-16
God's Power Over Me - Ps 139:13-16
For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me
in my mother's womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and
wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right
well.
My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and
curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my
substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which
in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
God's Omnipotence
Here we see a description of God’s omnipotence as it is
experienced by David. Now, let me give you another deep, theological, mind
expanding definition.
Definition: Omnipotence
By the omnipotence of God we mean that He is able to do
whatever He wills. - Henry Thiesan. (Is
your mind expanded? That is a pretty succinct definition. God does whatever God
wills to do.)
Jeremiah said, "Ah, Lord Jehovah; behold, thou hast
made the heavens and the earth by they great power and by thine outstretched
arm; there is nothing too hard for thee." – Jer 32:17
And once again notice how David views God power. He sees it
as it has affects him.
You have possessed my reins. (You control my path. You steer
me where I must go.)
You have covered me in my mother’s womb. (the Hebrew word ,
saw- kak, here means to fence in or weave a covering over for protection.)
He says, I am fearfully and wonderfully made. (The idea here
is that God had an awe inspiring purpose in the creation of David.)
Finally, David says, "I can only praise you, when I see
your power in my very existence and creation."
Are we Humbled by God's Power as seen our very life?
Do we see the wonder of God's gift of life and the vessel
that holds it? The miracles and intricacies of the human body and mind. And
then to realize that of all the millions of possible combinations of DNA, chromosomes
and traits, of all the many possibilities that could have been, I was the final
result and God was the one who guided that process. Our life, our very
existence, is the surest reminder of God's power.
Let me deal with a related issue for just a moment. Let me say a few words about the greatest
legal sins in our country today.
Abortion and homosexuality are more than just another sin.
They are in truth blasphemy against the very person of God as creator. Both sins deny God's power and sovereignty over
life, the family and creation. These sins
make man the arbitrator of what is right or wrong, who lives, who dies, what
the family is and how it should be built. There are things that God alone can ordain.
Sins like these ignore God’s will and God’s power in life itself, and that is
blasphemy of the worst kind. Only God can claim the authority over our life in
the womb or after we are born.
Scripture
Let me give you a few verses that deal with God power over
life.
Isaiah 49:1 Listen, O
isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from
the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.
Psalms 127:3 Lo,
children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
Ezek 18:4 Behold, all
souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine:
Transition: David considers God's omnipotence, His
omnipresence and His omniscience and he comes to an undeniably conclusion. I wonder this morning, will yours the same?
Conclusion God's Will for Me Ps 139:17-18, 23- 24
17-18 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O
God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more
in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.
23-24 Search me, O God,
and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any
wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
David's complete surrender to God.
David is overwhelmed by the full realization that God, with
all His power and knowledge, is thinking of him.
How precious are your thoughts toward me. How vast is the
sum of them, they are more than the sand of the sea. When I wake up, I realize
that even when I was asleep and could not think of you, you never quit thinking
of me.
Because of God's intimate and loving knowledge, David then comes
to a complete surrender and submission to God.
Search me, know my heart, he cries. Try me and know my
thoughts. See if there is any part of me that would grieve you and then, lead
me in the path of eternal life.
When you think of God and his power, knowledge and love what
will you do?
Will We Surrender?
What else can we do but surrender fully, when the One who has all power, all knowledge and is in all places at
all times, reaches down into the deepest place of all, my heart, and whispers,
"I know you. I know what you're
going through. I know every detail of your life, every victory, every joy,
every failure and every sorrow. I knew them all before you were born. I am the
One who holds the reins of your life. I am the One whose hands covered you in
the womb. I am the One who watches over you through the night and it is by My
power that you rise in the morning.
Now, yield yourself completely that you might fully
experience the joy and wonder of my knowledge, presence and power in your life
today.
Amen Brother Minefee!
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