Five-minute read.

You are familiar with all my ways.

Psalm 139:3b

Close acquaintance.

Who knows you best in this world? My husband comes to mind for me. Although Ron knows nothing about me, he knows more than most. However, no one knows me as well as the Lord. God knows every hair on our heads:

“But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.” Matthew 10:30

According to Healthline, humans have an average of 100,000 hair follicles.[i]  With 8.1 billion people on the planet, according to 2023 polls, that’s a lot of hair for the Lord to know. Yet He does. 

Cakan, the original Hebrew word for familiar in today’s verse, means to be familiar with; by implication, to minister to, be serviceable to, be customary.[ii]  Knowing us intimately, God knows our needs before we do. When my Mom landed in the hospital with an emergency Whipple procedure, removal of the spleen, part of her colon, and part of her pancreas, we found out she had pancreatic cancer. Praying fervently for the Lord to save her life, I discovered that God answered my prayer before I prayed. 

Ten years earlier, Mom had a blockage in her colon; surgery bypassed it by removing a small section of the organ. Cancer tends to grow towards scar tissue, which it did in my mother’s situation. Instead of the pancreatic cancer growing up through the midline of her body, around vital organs, it grew into the colon. As a result, the doctor removed the cancerous mass, adding years to my mother’s life and answering my prayer before I ever prayed it.

Knowing someone’s needs allows us to meet those needs. God uses His intimate knowledge of us to minister to our requirements, supplying us with our necessities at any time. Just like when I know someone has a need, I can meet it.

Because of my close acquaintance with my husband, I know his needs. When he has dirty laundry, I wash it. Because Ron cooks more than me, I clean the dishes and counters after he presents us with a meal. When his dad declined due to dementia, I found ways to support my husband as he took care of his father. Knowing Ron intimately gives me the privilege of serving him and meeting his needs when possible.

To help someone, we must know them. The Lord knows us better than anyone else and meets our needs. But we may not always agree with God’s decisions or how He meets our desires. Submitting to the Lord’s sovereignty means trusting Him, even when we don’t understand or agree.

Our Maker knows His creation. Familiar with us down to the hairs on our heads, God knows everything. When our hearts break, so does the Lord’s. When we celebrate, so does our Creator. Understanding our needs, God meets them long before we even know it. Not a breath taken happens without the Lord’s knowledge. Loving us unconditionally, nothing about us surprises God; we don’t need to hide anything from Him. The Lord already knows and loves us anyway.

Application:

God knows every hair on my head.

Because the Lord knows everything about me, I can let worry go. When something happens that I don’t understand, I can trust God does. Not only does the Creator know how many hairs I have, but He knows what He created me to do. Fulfilling my life purpose only happens when I submit to God and let Him lead me step by step where He wants me to go.

When war broke out in Israel, it canceled my mission trip to Egypt. Saddened by the events, I comforted myself in God’s sovereignty. Because nothing happens without His knowledge, I trusted the Lord’s plan for my life, and knowing that fact comforted me in my disappointment.

God knows my needs before I do, and He meets them.

Journaling Questions:

1. How well do you think God knows you?
2. In what ways does God show you His presence in your life?
3. Knowing God knows the number of hairs on your head, how does that give you confidence in His sovereignty?

Prayer:

Lord, forgive me for doubting Your knowledge of me. Help me trust that You know every part of my being, meeting my needs before I have them. Please help me believe Your promises, relying on them daily. Let me become more like Jesus as I submit my life to You.  IJNIP. Amen

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[i] https://www.healthline.com/health/how-many-hairs-on-a-human-head#:~:text=per%20square%20centimeter).-,Hair%20follicles,of%20hairs%20on%20your%20head.

[ii] Strong, J. (2012). Strong’s concordance. LENNEX Corp.

Five-minute read.

You discern my going out and my lying down;

Psalm 139:3a

Sorted and separated.

Zarah, the Hebrew verb for discern, translates as “search out” or “scrutinize.” [i] Describing a farmer winnowing his crops, separating the wheat from the chaff, the Psalmist uses it to depict God’s examination of our ways; He never misses a thing. No chaff remains after the Lord sorts and sifts us.

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” 1 Cor. 10:13

In life, we can fall into the temptation of believing God doesn’t know our sufferings. But the Lord knows every hurt we experience, every pain we feel. During good times, we often forget our Creator, not needing His assistance nor seeking His presence. But when a crisis occurs, we call out to the Creator, desperate for His help.

God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world. C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain

Becoming aware of God’s constant presence in our lives requires discipline. Job suffered unimaginable heartache, losing his family, livelihood, and health, yet never lost faith in the Lord.  God’s servant’s faith developed over a lifetime of trusting and following God.

“But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold.” Job 23:10

Trials refine us like precious metals; the heat removes the impurities and leaves only the gold behind. All suffering on earth will end; this life a temporary one. But the purification process prepares us for our eternal home, sorting out the chaff and transforming us into the image of Christ. 

Through Jesus, we can endure. Putting into practice the teachings of Christ will guide us through the trials and tribulations of life. God’s Son kept an open line of communication with His heavenly Father.   Jesus didn’t seek His will but God’s. And when Christ returned to His rightful place beside the Creator, He left us the  Holy Spirit to guide and direct us.

Cling to God, knowing He has a plan for your life, one only you can fulfill. Allow the Lord to sort and separate you, knowing your pain will refine you like gold and prepare you for your eternal home. When the Holy Spirit nudges you from within your heart, acknowledge and follow Him.

The Lord wants you to live life in abundance. He pulls us from our sins and gives us new life. We can endure all things through Christ, who strengthens us.

Application:

God refines us.

When my nephew died, I experienced pain like never before. As the years marched onward, I wrestled with God’s decision to call Cody home instead of healing him on earth. People asked me difficult questions: “Why didn’t God answer your prayers?” “Why did God take Cody?” As I searched for answers from above, I found comfort from the Great Comforter. And I accepted some answers I won’t know until I reach heaven.

But I trusted God’s faithfulness in my pain. And I learned that He never leaves me nor forsakes me. Working through the loss introduced me to a grace I’d never known before and refined me. Instead of becoming bitters, I allowed God to make me better as He sorted and separated me from my fleshly desires and His Godly purpose.

In the heat of the battle, God removes the chaff and separates us from our sins, refining the gold within us.

Journaling Questions:

1. How do you feel God’s presence in your life?
2. Where do you feel God’s absence?
3. In what ways has God refined you through the struggles you’ve endured?

Prayer:

Lord, forgive me for doubting Your process. As I face the challenges to come, let me do so confident of Your presence amid the fire. Sort and separate me from my sin, help me become more sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s prompting, transforming me. Help me become more like Jesus as I faithfully pursue You.  IJNIP. Amen

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[i] https://www.bibleref.com/Psalms/139/Psalm-139-3.html#:~:text=God%20knows%20our%20ways%2C%20our,doesn’t%20miss%20a%20thing.

Five-minute read.

You know when I sit and when I rise;

Psalm 139:2a

Rise and walk.

Since the onset of menopause, sleep and I have an ongoing battle. Each night, I clock-watch.

“Alexa, what time is it?”

“The time is 12:59 a.m.”

Great, another sleepless night. Rolling over, I wait for the clock to strike 4:00 a.m. (since the clocks fell back an hour, 5:00 a.m. in the summer months) to get up and start my day, which means opening the YouVersion Bible app and spending time in God’s word. December mornings include sparkling Christmas tree lights piercing the darkness, with flickering flames from our gas fireplace adding a dancing glow.

God knows our battles with insomnia, what time we get up, and where we sit. He never leaves or forsakes us, not even on lonely, sleepless nights. My early mornings allow me to spend quality time with the Lord. Experiencing the Creator’s Spirit in those early hours prepares me for the day ahead. Inspiration for my writing comes from time in the scriptures, words that read my heart and illuminate areas I need to submit to the Lord.

“But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say, “Rise and walk?”

Matthew 9:4

Our Maker doesn’t miss one waking or sleeping moment of our lives. Like a loving Father watching his children sleep, God delights in us. Jesus knows our thoughts and understands we have evil in our hearts. The Lord shows us how to overcome our human nature by accepting His grace and mercy, forgiving sins, and simply saying, “Rise and walk.”

Believe today in God’s word. Believe that He knows when you sit and when you rise. Expect the Lord’s presence, even if you don’t feel it. Feelings lie, but God never does. Whatever promises the Creator makes, He keeps, like these five:

• Direction and clarity (Prov. 3:5-6)
• Peace (Isaiah 26:3)
• Security (Psalm 56:3-4)
• Victory (Psalm 20:7-8)
• Joy (Psalm 13:5)

Rest in the truth of God’s word, rely on His promises, and know He never leaves your side. Rise and walk boldly, understanding your Maker already paves the way for you.

Application:

God knows every move.  

When darkness surrounds me, and sleep alludes me, I’m not alone. Sleepless nights can make me feel isolated, especially when my hubby sleeps soundly beside me. My feelings say I’m the only one in the world awake. But that’s not true. One scroll through my Facebook feed tells me others share my struggle. And the Lord never sleeps; His word tells us so.

. Trusting the Lord’s promises means believing them. God watched me get out of bed today; He knows where I’m sitting right now. Never for a moment does my heavenly Father leave my side.   And He doesn’t leave yours either.

God knows every toss and turn. We never make a move without Him. The Lord loves us too much to leave our side. In Him, we can trust.

Journaling Question:

1. What keeps me from believing God’s word?
2. How can I become more trusting of God’s promises?
3. What can I do today to begin believing God’s with me always?

Prayer:

Lord, forgive me for thinking You leave me. Open my eyes to Your presence in my life. Help my unbelief. Convict me of Your never-ending presence in my life. Help me believe that You know when I wake and where I sit. IJNIP. Amen

Five-minute read.

You perceive my thoughts from afar.

Psalm 139:2b

No escape.

David understands how intimately God knows us; we can’t escape His presence. The Lord knows our thoughts, good, bad, and indifferent. The shepherd boy understood he couldn’t escape from the Creator, a blessing in David’s eyes, not a curse.

Thoughts lead to actions. Because I thought about exercising at the gym, I went to a strength training class. I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t think about doing something. God knows every thought we have. The Lord understands our outward activities come from inner thoughts. What we think becomes what we do.

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.“

2 Corinthians 10:5

Nothing gets by our Maker; He knows every thought we have. I have awful thoughts, especially against people who cut me off in traffic or do something I perceive as offensive. Realizing God knows those instinctive human reactions to worldly situations embarrasses me internally. But then I remember the Lord leads with grace and mercy. Christ knew my imperfections and died for me long before I took my first breath.

Taking our thoughts captive and making them obedient to Christ means thinking about what we think about. If I don’t identify my thoughts, I can’t change them. 

For instance, a player must often hit the ball over a small body of water in golf. Many golfers will use a “water ball” for these shots, balls they don’t care if they lose. However, if players decide to change balls because they don’t want to lose their good ball, they already have thought about hitting into the water. In other words, their thoughts have determined they can’t hit the ball across the water before they ever strike it. And guess what? They typically end up hitting the ball into the water because they had the thought.

I don’t change my ball because I don’t want negative thoughts in my mind. God’s knowledge of my thoughts makes me think about what I’m thinking and identify negative messages, stopping me from doing negative actions. Trusting God hears my silent prayers gives me the boldness to seek and do the Lord’s will. Using scripture as a lens, I take captive errant thoughts and allow God’s influence to help me become obedient to Him in mind and body. Our thoughts govern our actions, and submitting to God controls our thoughts.

Prayer helps us change our thoughts as we invite God into the conversation. Yes, the Lord already knows, but He wants a relationship. Working together in unity requires effort from both parties. We can’t have a connection with our Maker if we don’t seek one. And we can’t change our thoughts if we don’t connect with God. The Lord reveals lies we believe in our minds, exposing them to the light, not letting them take root in our souls. 

Embrace God’s knowledge of your thoughts. Understand that the Lord loves you and wants an intimate relationship with you. God delights in you. Nothing pleases the Creator more than when we connect with Him, body, mind, and soul. Transformation comes when we unite our lives with Christ.

Application:

Intentional thoughts.

God knows our thoughts, and we should know them as well. Thinking about what we’re thinking will help us change our thoughts and actions. When someone cuts me off in traffic and mean thoughts enter my head, I don’t have to keep thinking those thoughts. Knowing God knows my thoughts and that He loves everyone, even bad drivers, means He wants me to love them, too. 

I can change my thoughts by confessing my negative thoughts to God and inviting Him into the equation. Instead of asking the Lord to curse the offender, I ask Him to bless them, which changes my thoughts and actions towards the person.

Intentional thoughts lead to deliberate actions, leading to more Christ-like living when we make our thoughts obedient to Him.

Journaling Question:

1. What am I thinking?
2. How can I become more aware of my thoughts?
3. What can I do today to make my thought life obedient to Christ?

Prayer:

Lord, forgive me for believing lies and having negative thoughts. Thank You for holding me accountable to my thought life. I’m grateful. You know, every thought that runs through my mind. Help me become more like Christ as I align my mind with Yours. Let my actions reflect Jesus because my thoughts do. IJNIP. Amen

Five-minute read.

You have searched me, Lord,
    and you know me.

Psalm 139:1

God knows all!

“Knows” means complete, divine discernment.[i]  Written by David, a “man after God’s own heart” (1 Sam. 13:14), the shepherd boy laid bare his soul before the Lord. Found innocent in his Maker’s sight, David received a verdict of righteousness from the judge. The Lord’s knowledge of the earthly king favored David for his loyalty to the heavenly Master. God washed away David’s sin with His grace and mercy.

Everyone has parts of their story they don’t want others to know about them. Talking with a lifelong friend, she knows the sins of my past.

“That’s because I know what you did in your twenties,” she said.

Laughing, I couldn’t help but agree. And for days after, every time I thought of our conversation, it made me smile. So funny, but also miraculous because God has brought me so far from those days and truly transformed my heart. Confessing my sin to the Lord and letting Him search my heart allowed God to replace my shame with His love. God’s grace helped me forgive myself, let go of my transgressions, and become a new person in Christ.

Having the Lord search your heart can seem like a daunting task. Exposing all our sins takes courage. Fear keeps us quiet, afraid of rejection. But God already knows everything you’ve done or will do. As Creator of the universe and Creator of you, nothing escapes the Master. When God searches our hearts and we reveal our deepest secrets, nothing surprises Him.

Not only does God know what I did in my twenties, but He also knows the unloving thoughts I had yesterday. And He still loves me. Jesus died on the cross knowing the hearts of people:

“Would not God discover this? For he knows the secrets of the heart.”

Psalm 44:21

We can come confidently before the Lord and bear our souls to Him, just as King David did. God already knows because of His complete and divine discernment. But He wants a relationship with us, one that has no walls. Resting in the Creator’s unconditional love for us allows us to accept ourselves. What we think of as imperfect, God makes perfect through Him.

David didn’t fear the Lord searching his heart, nor should we. As we open ourselves up to God, He reveals to us unhealthy areas and then heals them. One hurt at a time, one day at a time, we become whole in Christ, eventually perfect when God calls us into our eternal home with Him.

Application:

No need to hide from God. Once forgiven, always forgiven.

Stepping onto the tee box in front of a stranger, I thought, “Wait until he sees this drive.” Because of my consistent practice, my ball striking in golf improved. The moment I became better at contacting the white, pimpled ball with my club, pride immediately began to raise its head.

“That’s sin! Oh Lord, forgive me.” 

My next thought identified and confessed the inappropriate thought. Because God already knows my thoughts, the quicker I identify and admit them to Him, the faster I can let them go.

God already forgave me the minute I asked Him into my life. He knows my struggle with sin will continue until I reach my eternal destination. I don’t need to hide from the Lord; I can live transparently with Him.

Journaling Questions:

1. What part of my heart am I hiding from God?
2. What fear keeps me from living transparently with the Lord?
3. What can I do today to draw closer to Jesus?

Prayer:

Lord, forgive us for trying to hide our imperfections from You.  Search our hearts and judge our ways. Let us receive Your grace and mercy as we submit our lives to You.  Help us live in Your promises, knowing nothing we do will separate us from Your unconditional love. As we receive Your grace and mercy, help us share it with others, introducing them to their Creator. 

In Jesus’s name, I pray,

Amen

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[i] Expositor’s Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): Old Testament

Copyright 2004

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Malachi 3:1-4:6, Revelation 22:1-21, Psalm 150:1-6, Proverbs 31:25-31

Daily Verse: “Strength and dignity are her clothing, she laughs at the time to come.” Prov. 31:25

Confident future.

What better way to end one year and begin another than with confidence that laughter leads the way no matter what comes next. Because of a noble wife’s diligent and prudent work, she gains strength and honor from a solid financial position, giving her confidence to face the days ahead.

My grandfather unexpectedly died of a heart attack in 1937, leaving my grandmother widowed and alone. To provide for her children, my mom only five years old at the time; grandma took in laundry and sold eggs to pay the bills.

Although I barely knew Grandma, I remember her tall stature and no-nonsense personality. In the face of adversity, she rose to the occasion, doing what she needed to do to survive. And she laughed, always quick with a smile.

In this life, hardship will come. But we will find victory when we ground ourselves in the Lord, following His commands. We can laugh at the days to come, knowing God determines our path, His plan unfolding with each breath we take.

Lord, thank You for another year. As we begin another trip around the sun, guide and direct our paths, making our feet surefooted. Let us laugh at the days to come as we trust in You.  IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Malachi 1:1-2:17, Revelation 21:1-27, Psalm 149:1-9, Proverbs 31:10-24

Daily Verse: “An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.” Prov. 31:10

Excellent wife.

Finding a wife of noble character blesses any man. Described as virtuous, honorable, and strong, she works hard to create a loving home for her family and friends. Like wisdom, her value far exceeds that of precious jewels.

“She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.” Prov. 31:12

For years, I prayed these verses over my life and my husband’s long before I met him. Knowing my many shortcomings, I hung these verses on my bedroom wall and began to pray them, asking God to mold me into a wife of noble character.

Ruth gives us a glimpse of an excellent wife. Found in the Old Testament, the Moabite woman endures heartache and suffering, losing her husband and leaving her homeland to follow her widowed mother-in-law back to Bethlehem. Eventually, she married Boaz and secured a place in Christ’s lineage from her virtuous life dedicated to the Lord.

Strive for excellence and develop a noble character with God’s word.

Lord, thank You for giving us Ruth as a model of a noble woman. Help us pursue excellence by developing a strong character based on virtuous and honorable ways. Let us become more precious than jewels to our spouses. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Zechariah 14:1-21, Revelation 20:1-15, Psalm 148:1-14, Proverbs 31:8-9

Daily Verse: “Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.” Prov. 31:9

Defend the Defenseless.

As a king, Lemuel had the responsibility of defending those who couldn’t protect themselves. Life’s cruelties leave people desolate; righteous rulers should help them, championing their rights. As Christ’s followers, we should do the same.

“Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common…. and it was distributed to each as any had need.” Acts 4:32, 35b

Together, we form the body of Christ, all one heart and soul; we should care for each other. If we successfully defended the rights of the defenseless, we would not need government subsidies to help those in distress. 

Shining the light of Jesus into the dark world should draw people to Christ’s church. Unfortunately, churches have become known for their judgment instead of their love.

Defending the defenseless and caring for the needy will show Christ’s love to the world and help people survive life’s cruelties.

Lord, forgive us for not caring well for others. Please help us do better in defending the defenseless and helping those in need. Let us become known for our love instead of our judgment. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Zechariah 12:1-13:9, Revelation 19:1-21, Psalm 147:1-20, Proverbs 31:1-7

Daily Verse: “What are you doing, my son? What are you doing, son of my womb? What are you doing, son of my vows?” Prov. 31:2

First warning.

King Lemuel recalls an oracle his mother taught him. Massa, the original Hebrew word for oracle, means prophetic utterance, pronouncement, with the focus on the content of the message. In the King’s situation, his mom warns him about women not to spend his strength and ways on them.

The indelicate Arabic term used to describe women refers to females who ruin rulers. Culturally, kings had many women in their lives: wives, concubines, and female servants; men had harems. King Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines, learning from his father, King David, who also had a vast harem. For both men, their harems caused them much trouble.

King Lemuel’s mother doesn’t want her son to follow in the footsteps of rulers who faltered because of women. In the verses to come, we will learn what a woman of noble character looks like. 

Heeding his mother’s warning leads King Lemuel to discover a wife of noble character, one who uplifts and encourages her husband, not tearing him down.

Lord, help us heed the advice we find in Your word. Let us not waste our time on earth by pursuing trouble, but instead, give us discernment to make wise decisions and live life to the fullest in Christ. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Zech. 10:1-11:17, Revelation 18:1-24, Psalm 146:1-10, Proverbs 30:33

Daily Verse: “For pressing milk produces curds, pressing the nose produces blood, and pressing anger produces strife.” Prov. 30:33

Sage advice.

Yesterday, the author warned us of foolish exaltation. Today’s verse tells us why. Pride and evil planning cause strife, which compares to twisting the nose, causing it to bleed—undesirable results from undesirable actions.

When I exalted myself to a fellow golfer about breaking a 100, his reaction surprised me. Instant tension developed between us, causing division. Because he perceived me as a braggart, it caused dislike. We have never talked about golf since.

Although I don’t completely understand my friend’s reaction, I appreciate that my self-exultation caused it. Unintentionally, I twisted his nose and caused it to bleed. The phrase “nose out of joint” means upsetting or offending someone by making them feel less important or valuable.

I never want to make someone feel less important or unvalued. Therefore, I must watch my words and cover my mouth when tempted to exalt myself foolishly.

Choosing words wisely builds relationships. Foolish exaltation tears connections apart.

Lord forgives us for putting people’s noses out of joint. Please give us discernment and wisdom when choosing our words so that we uplift and encourage people instead of tearing them down. IJNIP. Amen