by Molly Audiss
This week, let’s pause, sit back for a moment and remember once again just how much the Lord loves us. There will be nothing written this week about change or improvement. No, let’s just rejoice together in the knowledge of how much we are loved.
We are human. Sometimes we get down, discouraged, overwhelmed, or just extra busy. Sometimes we feel backslidden, away from God, unlovable, and useless. There are days when we simply wake up on the wrong side of the bed and nothing seems right with the world. I admit, that sometimes I go to the Bible just needing a hug from God. Can you relate? I don’t look for how I can improve, what I am doing wrong, or what needs to change in my life; I just want to feel loved and accepted. Praise the Lord, He’s always there to give me the love and acceptance I need! He never tires of speaking to my heart, reminding me yet again that He cares and He’ll always be there for me.
When I feel like I need a hug from the Lord, the first place I run is Psalm 139. This is such a beautiful and personal chapter to me. I almost don’t like to write about it because I feel that it is God’s “private” love letter to me. No chapter in the Bible brings tears to my eyes like Psalm 139. Why? Well, let me explain what I see about the Lord in these verses.
Much has been written by many authors about the subject of love. Wise men and women have explained that, for a person to show love properly, they must first understand how the person they love feels loved the most. Some people feel most loved by receiving gifts. Some feel most loved by hearing words of praise; others feel loved by receiving touch, others by acts of service. Myself, I like all of these ways, but the way I feel the most loved is when a person wants to take the time to sit and listen to me, totally focused on what I am saying. When someone truly wants to learn all about me and wants to totally understand my thoughts and feelings. Then, when that person knows all about me, the good and the bad, and that person can still accept me unconditionally for who I am- THAT is love to me. It just doesn’t get any better than that!!
That is why I feel like Psalm 139 is a personal love letter to me from the Lord.
Verse 1 O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.
Jehovah God, ruler of the universe, has taken the time to know me ! He studied me until He knew every minute detail about me- even more than I know about myself!
Verse 2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
He watches me all night long. He knows when I fall asleep and when I awake. He knows my best day and my worst day. And (I love this!) He understands every thought I think! Wow! I don’t even understand myself over half the time. I have wild, emotional thoughts and, sometimes, rational thoughts. He understands each one.
Verse 3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
I think of this verse like a bodyguard or secret service agent clearing the way for someone, making sure it is safe ahead of time. God always goes before me and knows what is ahead in my life. I am completely safe in His care. Also, He knows all my habits, all my quirky idiosyncrasies. He knows every detail of what makes me unique. He thoroughly understands me, inside and out.
Verse 4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.
I picture in my mind, Jesus Christ sitting next to me on the couch, focused on me, saying to me, “Tell me everything.” He knows every word I say. His attention never leaves me. He is “dialed in” to my conversation and feels that what I have to say is interesting and important. He does not want me to stop talking until I have shared my entire heart. That’s how I see this verse.
Verse 5 Thou hast beset me behind and before and hast laid thine hand upon me.
I liken this verse to a father walking down a path with his young daughter. He walks next to her, his hand on her shoulder, gently guiding her. The Lord never takes His hand off my shoulder. He is always guiding my path, even when I feel that I might be going astray, His hand is still there.
I think the greatest verses in this chapter are verses 17 and 18. After all, if Jesus knows me that well, if He sees me all the time, if He hears everything I say, knows everything I think; if He knows all my bad habits, wouldn’t He be disgusted by me? Wouldn’t He think ill of me? Wouldn’t He be disappointed in me? Understanding me the way He does, how does He feel about me?
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.
He’s crazy about me! His thoughts toward me are precious, priceless. He thinks about me so much that I cannot even count the number of thoughts He has about me! He loves me!!! As I awake in the morning, He’s there to say, ”Good morning. I’ve been watching you sleep and thinking about you all night.”
Ladies, take a few moments today to let these thoughts sink in! God is not mad at you. He is not disappointed in you. He loves you so personally it is indescribable! Let’s hold our heads high today with the knowledge of being loved so greatly by such a wonderful God! He’s thinking about you right now- and He’s smiling.
