GOD KNOWS

For I know the thoughts that I
think toward you, saith the Lord,
thoughts of peace, and not of evil,
to give you an expected end.
Jeremiah 29:11

This year, I celebrated 70 years as a child of God. I'm at an age where I can look back on God's goodness in my life that has come in so many and various ways. He has taught me so much through these years and for some reason, I thought as I aged that He wouldn't have as much to teach me except for those areas where I seem to need a lot of reviewing. However, there are occasions when He seems to blow me away with an old thought with new meaning.

Intimacy is such an important thing, especially with God. I'm not sure how important intimacy is to folks anymore. Nothing seems to be secret or sacred. With all the phones and computers, information about anything or anyone is right at our finger tips. We're often hesitant to be our real selves around people, perhaps even with people we know well. Our culture tends to pull us away of this closeness with others. With this thinking, our view of God is often affected.

As a little girl, the most I was told for a time about God was of His careful observation of me while holding a black crayon in His hand. I was told at home and away from home when I messed up that God would put a big black mark by my name. This told me two things...God always sees me and He was just watching for me to make mistakes so he could use his black crayon by my name.

Recently, our pastor made a comment that stuck in my mind to the point I almost didn't hear the rest of what he said. He was speaking of something I already knew that God sees everything to the smallest detail that affects us. Then he said something that maybe didn't affect anyone else but it sure did me. He said that if we have one cancer cell in our bodies, God is fully aware of that. It might be funny to you, but not to me for I was sitting there with a throbbing knee that was rebelling against being confined to a church pew.

There's not a cancer cell in my body that I know about, but for sure I sat there in stunned silence. The black crayon wasn't what registered with me in this present day. The only thing I could think was that in the privacy of that church pew, I saw with some clarity how God in that moment was concerned about my discomfort, even down to something as insignificant to anyone else as my throbbing knee.

I wonder how many of these “intimacies” of God I've missed in a lifetime. How clearly does He view any moment in our lives?

Neither is there any creature that is
not manifest in His sight: but all
things are naked and opened unto
the eyes of Him with whom we
have to do.
Hebrews 4:13

He sees it all...the big things we expect Him to know about, but also down to the smallest events. I don't know how He does it. I don't know how He tracks all the little things in the lives of His children, but am reassured He knows everything big and small taking place in my life. It's hard to wrap myself around that kind of intimacy and attention that is all based in a love for me that only can come from my loving Father. He does the same for all His children...even minus a black crayon.

Dear Father...just knowing You care about everything in my life is so encouraging. It also puts me in mind of the fact that You are aware of my every need no matter the size. You not only love me in it all but You care very deeply about me in a very personal way. I'm not worthy of that kind of care. I love You. Praying in Jesus' name....Amen