God knows everything—past, present, and future—and nothing takes Him by surprise.
When we stumble and sin, it helps to remember that God is merciful. When we recognize that we have, once again, turned aside to idols of our own making, there are scriptures that declare God’s faithfulness in spite of our frailty. And when we have been burned by some injustice—life-shattering or trivial—we can thank our Savior for being a righteous Judge who promises to set all things right in the end. Reflecting on God’s attributes can bring us peace in the midst of struggles. But there is one that can leave us feeling exposed: God’s omniscience.
Because He is all-knowing, there is nothing hidden from God’s sight—nothing in waking life or even in our imaginations. There is no event in the past, present, or future that takes Him by surprise. The entire universe is an open book.
This kind of knowledge in anyone else’s hands would be a dangerous weapon. It would be appropriate to live in a constant state of fear. But God’s omniscience is coupled with His other attributes. To be known by God, then, is to be valued and loved. None of us are here by mistake. He wants to know us. And that’s a very good thing; within each of us is a desire to be known.
We all want to be fully known and understood, and then to be fully loved. Of course, we too often conclude in our hearts we are unloveable. After all, we how we’ve done wrong and missed the mark, how easily we’ve given in to temptation. Our hearts condemn us daily. But “God is greater than our hearts, and he knows all things” (1 John 3:20).
On the day of Solomon’s coronation, David told his son, “The LORD searches every heart and understands the intention of every thought” (1 Chronicles 28:9). In these words, there is a warning, but there is also grace. True, there is no hiding from God. But there also isn’t anyone who could possibly know us better. Because Jesus dealt with our sin on the cross, purifying us as a bride for her husband, God’s omniscience is not reason to fear blanket condemnation; instead, it’s an invitation to true intimacy with our Maker.
I appreciate these short devotions. They make great jumping-off points for personal more in-depth study. I think it’s important that we know who God is. It helps so much in understanding our relationship to Him. I am so thankful for His omniscience- there is nothing outside the realm of His knowledge. If His reach was limited He wouldn’t make a very good God. There is comfort and peace in knowing I am never out of His sight, and even that He knows all about me, and STILL loves me.
Just a side note, there is a missing word in the second sentence of the fourth paragraph:
“After all, we how we’ve done wrong and…”. I believe it should read “After all, we KNOW how we’ve done wrong and…” :)
God knows everything about me, all my successes and all my failures. And yet he still chooses me, still wants me as part of his family, still loves me without condition. That is true love and something that I cannot fully comprehend! Thank you Lord for loving me no matter what!
I am so happy God knows me. That there are no secrets or surprises. It helps me rest in knowing that he already has a way out of my situations. I’m so struggling with how I will recover from so much including a divorce and if I should do a relationship again and I will be considered damage goods but I know that Gods plan for me is good and there is no pit too deep for him to dig me out of. It’s a little struggle bc I don’t feel like I deserve it but I want the life he has for me
I feel a little shameful knowing God knows everything. I feel ashamed that He has seen me sin time after time again. It makes me feel a little bit of disappointment; when am I going to get this right.
I am so glad that God has been present in my life, especially during rough times. I can’t do anything without him. Thank-you Jesus.
How comforting it is knowing that my God is aware of EVERYTHING! He knows everything about me
God is forever Present and everywhere , I can’t hide from Him. He is also all knowing , He knows everything about me , past , present and future….it’s so comforting and refreshing to know this.This study has open my eyes and refresh my spirit , for at times I live my as if I’m in control and not being mindful of these traits . I pray that as
God knows the desires of our heart, the good, the bad, and the ugly-but he still chooses me. It is hard for me to comprehend his unwaivering love because so often our earthly love is selfish and within limits. God serves me with such a love and mercy that I have never have and never will experience anything like that again! Thank you for being who you are-for knowing every corner of my mind and still choosing to love me and lead me towards your kingdom!