“O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up, discern my thoughts from afar.You search out my path and my lying down
and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; is high; I cannot attain it.”
Psalms 139 :1 – 6
Last week I had a chance to listen to Christen Kinard’s intriguing and informative presentation on how the church can effectively utilize social media platforms to undertake ministry activities beyond the Covid 19 pandemic. One thing that came out clearly was the truth that in as much these platforms connects people from near and far, they do not deal with the problem of loneliness.
Despite the internet’s invasion of our privacy: photos and bios on social platforms with numerous “impersonal friends” and “likes”, credible research shows that the crave for personal contact interactions by social media users is never satiated by these robust platforms. Numerosity of “friends” and “likes” is not an antidote to overwhelming feelings of loneliness.
The truth is that intimacy of true belonging is difficult to maintain or endure in life. Guilt for things done or left undone, or shame for some perceived defect in ourselves or even both wash over and swamp us with a sense of unworthiness to stand before God. As we turn away from God and hide from his presence, we move away from those who love us.
Yes, we yearn for belonging – to share our lives with others, to love and be loved, to feel valued. Our devotion text displays a concentrated sense of belonging: being searched and known by God, every thought and action understood beforehand, hemmed in “behind and before” by God who lays his loving hands upon us and will never abandon us.
This Psalm oozes of knowing, presence, and power not abstractly nor speculatively but concretely and existentially with the understanding that God’s reality always discloses him to his creation in the “everydayness” of our life experiences. The reality is that only in God is our heart’s desire – “belongingness” addressed.
God knows and understands our vulnerabilities. He anticipates our needs, foresees our desires, and knows our thoughts at an intensely personal level. The awareness that God is focused on our wellbeing through his loving care and creativity should leave us with an overwhelming feeling of confidence in Him no matter the realities of life.
Prayer:
Precious Lord.
Thank you for searching and knowing me completely.
You know when I rise, where I walk and my lying down.
Touch me with your reality to recognize and appreciate my belongingness in you.
Amen!