Hemmed in, Kept Safe?
Scripture Reading — Psalm 139
You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.
There is a sense in which everything we will be and do is shaped before we are born—what kind of person we will be, our strengths and weaknesses, our abilities and talents. Because God is involved in our creation, God is also involved in every day of our life.
God is watching over every breath and every step we take. And there is nowhere we can go where God is not present.
Is this good news or bad news?
Sometimes we don’t want people to get to know us too well; we’re afraid they might find out something about us that we’d rather keep secret or that we think they won’t like.
The good news is that God already knows everything about us—and still he accepts us and loves us. God is with us through every situation, protecting and guiding us. He knows us completely, and that doesn’t stop him from loving us completely.
The assurance for all who know and love God is that no matter what we do or where we go, no matter what happens to us—hardship, trouble, danger, persecution, disaster, war, or anything else—we can never be separated from God’s comforting presence and love in Christ our Savior (Romans 8:35-39).
Do you have this assurance?
God, it can be scary to think how well you know us. And yet it’s comforting to know how thoroughly you watch over and care for us. It is both fearful and wonderful. Thank you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
About the author — Thea Leunk
Thea Nyhoff Leunk has been a high school English teacher, a director of Christian education, a pastor of discipleship, and a regional coach for the Christian Reformed Church in North America. She is currently the senior pastor at Eastern Avenue Christian Reformed Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Thea has also written courses for teens and young adults on world religions, Christian faith traditions, and science and the Bible. She and her husband have three adult children.
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