(from Psalm 139)
Omniscience means all knowing and is one of the many attributes of God, which He alone possesses to the ultimate degree. All knowledge comes from the One Who knows all. Man is constantly seeking more knowledge, but will never know everything there is to know. But God knows everything, past, present and future, and He knows them always. Being made in the image of God, we want to know and to understand the how, why, when and where of things. Our lives, if they are at all interesting, are devoted to the acquisition of more knowledge and understanding. God is also all wise, which means He has the best plan to use all the knowledge He possesses, to achieve His highest purposes. Psalm 139 is David’s meditation on how completely he is known by God. If God completely knows David, does He not completely know you? Does He not know me?
How I wanted to make a song about this knowledge that is too wonderful for me! Because of these words, I have no excuse for believing God has forgotten me or is unaware of my circumstances. He knows my thoughts and my habits. He knows my fears, vexations and desires. He knows both the deep and the trivial things about me. He’s way ahead of me, and sees what I leave behind in my wake, and he lays His Hand of influence upon me, too.
What foolishness it is to think there’s a place to hide from Him? How absurd it is to lie to Him, or try to hide my sins under a fig leaf? All my rationalizations and justifications are lame. He and I both know I have no leverage to persuade Him, no special quality to impress Him. He doesn’t need me, but I desperately need Him. But what does He do? He holds me with His Right Hand, (Jesus) and when I lose my way, His Right Hand finds me. Even when I pull the darkness of despair down over my head to hide myself, He still sees me and finds me, and He leads me out of it.
He’s the One Who made me. I’m a designed person and not an accident. All my talents come from Him. Even my weaknesses play a role in His fantastic plan. It says He numbered my days before they were even lived! In my unformed substance, He knew me and I had value to Him, even at my conception. You may say, “that may be all right for you to say, John, because you had good parents.” You may say you came from an awful family or no family at all. But God wanted you to be, even if your origin was in sin. In you, your Father in heaven is glorified as you take on the new identity in Christ that transforms us all. God delights in changing the weak into the strong, the simple into the wise, the least into the greatest, by the power of the Life of His Son, in us. That’s why He often has to make the strong weak, the wise foolish, the great small before He can make any use of them. All things work together for good, for those who are in Christ Jesus!
With courage and conviction we can open ourselves to Him and say, “Search me, know my heart, try me and know my thoughts. See if there be any wicked ways in me, and lead me in Your ways, everlasting.