Well-Known

"You have searched me, LORD,

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, LORD, know it completely.

You hem me in behind and before,

and you lay your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,

too lofty for me to attain."

Psalm 139:1-6

I often feel neglected, not understood, or too complicated to be fully known.  To be honest, sometimes the feelings coursing through this broken flesh are so complex that I cannot begin to figure them out.  But God knows me intimately.  He gets me.  He perceives the intricacies of my inner workings and the reasons why I do the things I do. He understands everything about me, and this blows my mind!

What does it mean to be so well known?

Ways.  I have some strange methods for coping with the stresses of life.  When the going gets rough, I tend to do some bizarre things in an effort to comfort myself, to get myself through the difficulties, to self-medicate.  I also have a unique way of thinking that is peculiar to myself.  No one else gets why I think this way, or reason in such a manner, or rationalize so readily.  I also have been known to react in ways that don't make sense to me or anyone else.  My motivations for doing things and my attitude toward life is often warped.  In short, I'm one hot mess!

As strange and quirky are my ways, God is intimately familiar with what makes me tick.  He sees what causes me to gravitate toward the destructive ways of handling the stresses of life and purposefully walks me through hard times in order to teach me His life-giving ways.  Furthermore, His personal knowledge of the inner workings of my mind leads Him to gently instruct me in how I'm off and shows me the more constructive thought patterns that benefit my life (Philippians 4:8).  Since my Father knows me so well, He is an expert in how best to train me in righteousness, giving me many opportunities to put into practice what He's taught me through His Word and prayer about how to live this life the way He meant me to live.  I am definitely a work in progress.  The good news is that He never gives up on this transformation process (Philippians 1:6).

God knows me so well that He is familiar with all my ways, and loves me enough not to leave me in them.

Days.  I think I'm so sneaky.  I know how to hide my bad habits, to rationalize my poor use of time, to pretend like the words I say are meant to build others up when in reality I'm thinking of no one but myself.  Still, God is not fooled.  He sees everything I do, taking note of each word I speak and the motivation behind it, even knowing what I'll say even before I do.  He is able to distinguish between authentic concern and a facade.

Since He is my Father through faith in Jesus Christ, He has my best interest at heart.  Therefore, I need not fear such intimate knowledge or intense attention to my every moment.  Instead, I can see it as proof of His love for me, that He cares enough to pay attention to what I'm doing.  

I remember many a time as a mother of four daughters when my attentions were sought as my girls played at the park.  "Mommy, watch!  Look at this!"  Then said daughter would proceed to perform some kind of acrobatic wonder.  "Wow!  That's great!"  I would respond.  Other times we would be at home and they would approach me with a work of art.  "Mommy, look what I made!"  She'd beam with pride as she revealed her latest masterpiece.  All we ever want is for someone we love to notice us.  This is the heart of our Father.  He cares enough to notice us throughout our days.  Never must we beg for His attention because we always have it.

God cares enough about me to pay attention to how I spend my days, giving me much motivation to please Him in word and deed.

Hemmed In.  I don't like feeling vulnerable, exposed or defenseless.  It makes me nervous when I'm called to share an intimate feeling, or try a new action or game in front of others, or travel down an unknown road without knowing where it will take me.  I'd much rather be secure, doing what I'm comfortable with, or going places I've already been.  

It gives me much comfort, then, to know that I'm completely protected by a God who has all power and authority to guard me from any harm.  He has already gone before me, paving the way and clearing away that which would harm me.  He also has my back, coming along behind me to defend me against surprise attacks.  In addition, His hand of blessing is on my head, guiding me, holding me close, keeping tabs on the pulse of my life.  While it would seem like such attentions would smother me, it works to coax me into abundant life, like a seedling being tended to by a master gardener.

God has me hemmed in, giving me security as I live my life in the great unknown.

It is hard to imagine how well God knows me.  To realize He is intimately involved in the inner workings of my life, transforming me into the woman He's created me to be; that He cares enough to pay attention to how I spend my days so I'll care enough to live for Him; and that He has me covered, giving me a strong sense of security to live care-free, is to recognize the advantages of being well-known by a God who loves me.  

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to live for Him.

When do I feel misunderstood yet fail to realize God's perfect understanding of me?

How can I take advantage of such a relationship as this, with a God who knows me so well?