“O LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether. You have hedged me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me.”
Psalms 139:1-5 NKJVTransparency
In classrooms throughout the world, they have advanced technology to allow students to see reproductions projected on screens. These projectors are quite amazing. When I was in school, we had transparencies, clear plastic sheets run off on the copier, that allowed the teacher to project printed pages on the screen. Very low tech. Whatever was on the sheet appeared in the light shined through it, smudges and all.
This morning I happened on one of my favorite Psalms, in chapter 139. As I read, I was reminded that we are transparencies to God, as He knows us completely. He sees all that we were, all that we are and all that we will be. He even knows the number of our days.
In the light of God’s glory, we are transparencies in transformation, as what appears on the screen is at first a reflection of the sin that has consumed us. When we come to know Jesus, and as we grow, new features are added and others taken away, as the image is transformed into that of Jesus.
“Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it. Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me.”
Psalms 139:6-10 NKJVThere is no hiding from the light of God, as it reveals all things in us. I find it disconcerting that God knows me more than I know myself. He knows where I am, even when I seek to conceal myself from Him within, as I deceive myself into thinking my sin is not so bad. Wherever I am, inside or out, in obedience, or in sin, He is there. In my darkest, most filthy moments He is aware.
In that awareness of his omnicience, I am made even more attentive to His grace, as I see my sin more acutely than he does. In my eyes, my sin is a huge blot that cannot be removed. To Him, it is just one more thing to work on. He sees me as I will be, and not as I am.
From the day I said yes, He began to see His Son, Jesus in that transparency, and only faintly, the person I used to be. In Jesus, I have been justified.
“If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,” Even the night shall be light about me; Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You.”
Psalms 139:11-12 NKJVThe darkness is light to God, as there is nothing hidden. In that spirit, I run to Him in confession, as I agree that I have sinned. There is no use in pretending I didn’t, for He already knows. As I seek the light of His forgiveness, my darkness flees away. He knows my weaknesses, for created me, and He has provided the remedy of the cross.
“For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.”
Psalms 139:13-16 NKJVIn this world, and in my life, there is great uncertainty. We humans are restrained by the here and now, and we cannot see beyond our next heartbeat or breath, but we can have the confidence that we have a God who knew us before we were a knowing glance in our parent’s eyes, and He knows when our last heartbeat and breath will be, and He will be there with us.
He knew every illness before I had even the first symptom, which parts would fail, how I would abuse my body, and how I would live in my waning years. He knows my sadness, my mourning, He weeps with me.
“How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You.”
Psalms 139:17-18 NKJVIn those times of isolation, I have joy in knowing that the LORD is aware of me, and thinks of me. His knowledge of me is complete, as He has seen the secret places, where undiscovered treasure lies. Even when I feel completely forgotten, I know that God has not.
“Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God! Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men. For they speak against You wickedly; Your enemies take Your name in vain. Do I not hate them, O LORD, who hate You? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies.”
Psalms 139:19-22 NKJVBrothers and sisters, we are surrounded by adversaries who hate us, but hate our God even more. It is easy to become angry and desire destruction to those who would defame the name of Jesus, but we must stand down.
Jesus has called us to bring the His love to this world, to show His kindness, that many be rescued from His wrath to come. Last week was God’s way of reminding us that He is working as we watched events unfold in Israel/Gaza.
In this time of growing tumult, we must be about the Father’s business and have the heart that reflects God. We are His transparencies, held to the light of His glory.
May what is seen by the world be a perfect representation of all that He is. God is our help in this, as He knows us and can guide us. He knows our flaws, and can search us through His word, and by the power of the Holy Spirit. Through His power we can be refined to be more effective and accurate in leading others to life everlasting.
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.”
Psalms 139:23-24 NKJVTHE PRAYER CHAIR IS OPEN! Send me your requests!
Transparency
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Musings from an idle mind 
Amen!
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Psalm 94:11. The Lord knows the thoughts of a man, that His days are but a breath. So thankful for you and your challenge Bernie! Praying for you brother.
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Also, not sure where you come up with some of these graphics, but I love this overhead projector graphic!
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