Psalm
139 reminds me of a time when I took my motorcycle to Jones Beach at
night. This is a state park with a 10 mile concrete road that is
flat and straight and almost abandoned at night. It seemed to be a
perfect place to test how fast I could go. Without hesitation, I hit
it and watched the speedometer climb toward triple digits. Shortly
after I pegged the needle, I realized that hitting anything on the
road at that speed could be deadly since few other people would be by
again until morning. Exhilaration quickly turned to fear as I began
to decelerate. This psalm takes us on a similar ride. David begins
with this realization, “O
LORD,
You
have searched me and You know me. You know when I sit and when I
rise; You perceive my thoughts… my going out and my lying down“.
What a rush to realize God knows you fully! David adds, “Before
a word is on my tongue You know it completely“.
God even knows the motives behind our actions. I believe that God
desires for us to follow a straight path, but frequently we go
off-road; even then, He does not ditch us. “Behind
and before;
You
have laid Your hand upon me… Such knowledge is too wonderful for
me“. Do you know God’s
hand is on your life too?
Some
of us run from God, sometimes recklessly. David observes, “Where
can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I
go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths,
You are there“.
Sometimes we try to hide, “Surely
the darkness will hide me“.
But he notes “the
night will shine like the day, for
darkness is as light to You“.
David tells those of us racing away in the darkness that we cannot
outrun God. “Your
hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast“.
This is a hand of protection, not a hand of punishment. Listen to
the way David describes the depth of God’s love, “For
You
created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb“.
Don’t miss the effect this has on his worth, “I
am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful“.
You too are God’s handiwork!
It
is interesting to consider that we are more careful with things that
we know to be valuable. David continues, “My
frame was not hidden from You when I was made … When I was woven
together… Your eyes saw my unformed body… All the days ordained
for me were written in Your book…
How
precious to me are Your thoughts“.
Did you know God thinks about you? How often? “Were
I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand“.
Did you know that you are that valuable to God? Now this ride gets
very scary to me. David notes, “Your
adversaries misuse Your Name“.
Some critters are easy to spot, but I think this is a warning that
not everyone claiming
to follow Christ actually follows Christ. He adds, “Search
me, O God,
and
know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts“.
Are you seeking spiritual Goosebumps, or obedience to God? In your
zeal are you zipping past divine appointments? David prays, “lead
me in the way everlasting“.
Maybe you can take someone with you on the ride.