Great Plains Daily Devotional for 9/18/2020

Psalm 139:1-6 

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

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.

I grew up playing hide and seek with my cousins and siblings. It was an exciting game because we chose to hide in dark corners to frustrate our searchers. Our environment was conducive for such a game.

Our scripture seems to refute the game of hide and seek from God. David, a man after God’s own heart teaches us that we cannot play hide and seek with God. Listen to him speaking through the Psalm: “Thou search out my path and my laying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, lo, O God thou knowest it altogether.” (Psalm 139:3-4)

We are always in God his presence. Adam and Eve played the hide and seek game in the garden of Eden. God asked the question, “But the Lord called to the man and said, ‘Where are you?’” (Genesis 3:9) Wow! God knew where Adam and Eve pretty well. It was just a rhetorical question to address the sin which had been committed in the garden of Eden. The couple had drifted away from God’s presence.

I am glad, the Psalmist David acknowledged God’s presence in his life. He even repented after committing adultery with Beth-Sheba. God knows our thoughts processes, our words before we speak, and all our daily actions before we act.

In this Psalm, David encourages us to be in God’s presence, doing his will. Where can we hide from God? The answer is, “We are not hidden from God’s presence.” I conclude with Isaiah who says, Behold, I have graven you on the palms of my hands.” (Isaiah 49:16)

How can we escape from God’s presence? How can we play hide and seek with God of the entire universe? He knows everything about us.

Exodus 14:19-31
Exodus 15:1b-11, 20-21
Romans 14:1-12
Matthew 18:21-35