Is God Enough?—Encouragement From David’s PsalmsSample

Is God’s Intimacy Enough? (Part II)

Psalm 139:13-18 is one of my favorite Bible passages because David describes Yahweh’s intimacy with us—even before we were born! When my first daughter was born, I had no idea what her cries meant. My mom taught me to listen and discern. I soon learned the sound of both my daughters’ fussing. When my two daughters grew up and had babies of their own, I saw in them that same frustration I’d felt when they were newborns. Then, the most amazing thing happened. I was Grammy who helped them discern their newborns’ cries. The intimate connection between mother, daughter, and grandchild was simply there. How much more intimately does God know His children’s needs?

Psalm 139:15-16 David describes God’s knowing before any of us were formed in a mother’s womb. David calls it “the secret place” where Yahweh also numbered the days of our life. He knew every life decision David would make—past, present, and future. And despite God’s knowledge of all David’s sin, the LORD chose to bless his family as the lineage from which the Messiah came to earth.

In 1 Samuel 13:14, the prophet Samuel rebuked King Saul and declared his successor. “The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart.” Samuel spoke those words about four years BEFORE David was born (Bible Hub Timeline). In Acts 13:16-22, Paul describ ed David as “the man after God’s own heart.”

God’s sovereignty—His eternal plan and the power to make it so—applies to every nation, tribe, tongue, and individual heart. His power and knowledge have no shadow of our human imperfections. He knows our deepest feelings, fears, and failures but loves us still.

Though intimately acquainted with God, David delighted to serve a God whose thoughts are beyond comprehension. In Psalm 139:17-18, David teaches us to concentrate on what we do know about God so we can trust Him for whatever we don’t understand.

Imagine David praising God until his eyes closed in sleep. Want to know the first thing on David’s mind the next morning? “When I awake, I am still with you” (emphasis added). Intimacy is never one-sided. God is with us always, but are we always with God?

When life closes in, we can become distracted by emotions. In Psalm 139:19-22, David reverts to fear and hatred, calling on God to punish his enemies.

I think David realized how fickle his heart could be. If you find it a struggle to stay with God, Jesus taught us how to abide using John 15 as a metaphor. Jesus is the Vine, we are the branches, and the Father is our Gardener.

Are you ready to pursue a more intimate relationship with the God of all Creation? Pray Psalm 139:23-24 (Paraphrased) with me:

Lord God, search my heart, test me, reveal the source of my anxiety. Am I clutching at things that offend You? Show me how to release those things in my earth-bound existence until I walk into Your arms forever.

God’s Intimacy Is Enough when we seek His heart while He searches ours.

Write out your deepest feelings, fears, and failures, knowing Yahweh knew them before you wrote the list. Can you seek God’s heart, trusting His love without understanding His ways?

Jesus describes how to abide in Him (John 15:1-11), not merely with Him. Is there a difference? If so, how would you describe the distinction?