God Knows

A man leaves his wife and she weeps asking why. A child dies and devastated parents ask why. Buildings burn, accidents occur, war and famine and diseases cause great misery. Most often the only explanation of comfort is that God knows.

How do I know that God knows? It seems obvious that He knows what He is doing and why, but what about the horrors in time and history, or events that seem the prerogative of human beings? Does God know everything? Or is He is sometimes caught off guard and has to revert to Plan B? 

After a simple word search, the evidence in the New Testament is extensive. For example, “Your Father knows what you need before you ask him” (Matthew 6:8). 

Not only that, He knows the human heart. Jesus said to (the Pharisees), “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God” (Luke 16:15) and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile” (1 Corinthians 3:20).

God knows the future, including the very hour that Jesus will return. “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Mark 13:32).

He also knows who belongs to Him and who does not. “The Lord knows those who are his….” (2 Timothy 2:19) and He knows how to His own safe in trials. “The Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment” (2 Peter 2:9).

When I fail, He knows the answer to my frustrated, “why did I do that?” As the apostle John wrote, “Whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything” (1 John 3:20).

Today’s devotional reading adds another. The prophet Ezekiel was led to a valley of bones that represented the deadness in the people of God. God asked him a question much like the questions I have about my own failures and inabilities to stand firm in the will of God. This prophet’s answer is my anchor also:

And (the Lord) said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And (Ezekiel) answered, “O Lord God, you know.” (Ezekiel 37:3)

Along with Ezekiel and every other person that has ever felt that there are no answers or explanations for human problems, my comfort is in this: that God knows. Because He knows, I can place everything that bothers me into His hands and trust Him to do what is right, even make dead bones alive.

Only God can weigh words

The New Testament says that the tongue is hard to control. I’ve said that talk is cheap, that sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. Only the first statement is true. Talk is a wild thing. It also can be very costly and hurtful, even ruin lives.
 

I just finished reading for the second time, a book called “The Weight of Your Words: Measuring the Impact of What You Say” by Joseph M. Stowell. The first time through, I was convicted of my lack of tongue-control and devastated by failures to talk as I ought and to shut up when I should. The second reading impressed me with how much the instruction the Bible offers about talking in a godly way. 

I’m also realizing how rules for what to say and when to say it are not as important as attitude. Besides, even with a good attitude, how can I decide that my words are the right words? Is it about good intentions? Or is it about the results that come from them?

Sunday evening we were praying with others in our church. One of my prayers just seemed to come out right. Whether God used that prayer to bless others or not, I began thinking about how good those words were. My heart flared with pride, not a good result. Yesterday, those thoughts kept returning, so no wonder these are God’s words to me today.

Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth; for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. (1 Samuel 2:3)

This rebuke about my pride are from a prayer. A woman named Hannah had been barren. She prayed for a child and Samuel was born. In her prayer, she promised her future son to the Lord in service. When he was old enough, he was given to the Lord as she promised. Then she prayed again, worshipping God because He blessed her and released her from the mockery of those who provoked her about her barrenness. She spoke also of the holiness of God and rejoiced in His salvation.

This woman knew that talk was never cheap. The words of others had devastated her. But instead of fighting back, she took her concern to the Lord and He heard her prayer. Now she could say that God knew all about it. He weighed the actions of her enemies and found them wanting. 

Very often the Bible speaks of God weighing our words. In doing so, He judges righteously. That is, two people might say the same thing, but one will be commended and the other condemned. God can see the attitudes behind words and actions and knows when someone speaks in pride. Even if we cannot detect arrogance in ourselves or others, He knows what is at the root of our words.

If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it, and will he not repay man according to his work? (Proverbs 24:12)

Besides knowing and weighing words, God also repays accordingly. This “reward” is based on the outcome of what is said or done.

I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds. (Jeremiah 17:10)

That is, our words produce something. As Hannah realized, the arrogance and proud words of the one who mocked her produced pain and sorrow. Any attitude of the heart has ramifications beyond the person who has the attitude. If we speak in kindness or in pride, it will affect those who hear us.

Stowell’s book also spoke of what is in the heart. We say things that can heal or hurt, build up or tear down. And God knows those motives. He also sees the results. Can I know that? Even if I say something in sincerity, who am I to decide whether my words are helpful or harmful? That also is arrogance.

All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit. Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established. (Proverbs 16:2–3)

My ways might be pure in my own eyes, but the Lord evaluates. He knows where they are coming from. I need to commit all that I do to Him and let Him take care of the results. It might look good to me, but I really have no clue about the value of anything I say or do. 

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Lord, forgive my arrogance. I do not know whether my words blessed those around me or not. Even if they were spoken with a right attitude, how can I know the weight of them? You are the God of knowledge and can see the fruit of things. I am not and cannot. 

Praise You for knowing all things and that You weigh all things in righteousness. I’m humbled by Your invitation to commit what I do (and say) to You. May I be more faithful in being silent and letting You determine what results will come from my words and deeds.

To Live is Christ — means looking beyond appearances

Our vacation spot in AZ has us thinking we would like to return next year. We found an online site that lists rentals by owners. Each ad has full information with photos. We lined up two condos to view and had a peek yesterday.

The first one looked good in the ad. The price was affordable and the pictures appealing. When we got there, it was a huge disappointment. After, I went back online and looked at the photos. They made me think a little differently about the verse I’ve been reading.

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

Obviously this is a warning about misjudging human beings by their appearance. However, people are not the only things I can misjudge by how they look.

A child’s book (I cannot remember the title) depicts temptation as a bright and appealing light that floats in front of the child and leads her into a cave. Then the light goes out and the child is trapped in the darkness. How many temptations are like that? They look good to begin with but they lead into spiritual darkness and even physical danger.

Human value systems can be the same. We heard a sermon two weeks ago about the “greatest problem in the American church today.” The preacher said it was the rugged individualism of the American dream — gone wrong. This ideal began by a bold desire to make a better world, to adventure forth and improve the lives of all, but it has become a self-centered, me-ism that is only interested in independently improving the lot of me, myself, and I.

For many, this value system looks perfect and they are caught in it. It is not what it appears. The Bible defines sin as doing our own thing, doing whatever pleases us without regard for God’s values or the needs of others. God sees the heart of the matter, but people can easily miss that in the name of independence and the American dream.

To live is Christ makes me think about the values of the Lord Jesus. He did not get caught in contemporary thinking even though He was involved in the lives of those around Him. He knew the heart of God and saw there what is really important. Some of those values are in what we call the Beatitudes.

Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you, and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man’s sake. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! (Luke 6:20–22)

To many, the outward appearance of these values is totally insane. Who can possibly consider poverty, hunger, weeping, and persecution as good things and be joyful about them? But Jesus, who sees the heart of God, knows a deeper purpose. The Father’s intention is not to make people miserable, but to bring us into a kingdom that not only makes sense of the negatives in this life, but gives them purpose to shape our lives and deal with our sinful self-centeredness.

More and more I am feeling a deep hunger to know the heart of God. Things like children dying from cancer and thousands dying in earthquakes make no sense, have no purpose, at least outwardly. Yet the Bible says that God is sovereign and in control. His plans are not our plans; His thoughts are not our thoughts. We see only the outward and become confused and doubtful. Jesus sees His Father’s heart and that vision gave Him the courage to say, “Not my will, but Thine be done” and go to the cross. This seemed to make no sense to His disciples at the time, but it became their redemption and mine.

I know that I can be fooled by appearances. People and many other things are not always what they seem. Instead, of letting the externals affect my responses and choices, I want to seek the heart of God.