DAY #62: Psalm 139:11-16

BACKGROUND:

David developed the theme of light a little further. The darkness might bruise him (probably referring to the oppressive nature of darkness). But David could not be concealed from God, for darkness and light are the same to Him because of His omniscience and omnipresence.

The thought that darkness cannot conceal anyone from the Lord brought to David’s mind this meditation in verses 13-18: God knew all about him when He created him in his mother’s womb. Since God can create a person, He certainly knows him intimately and is with him everywhere.
The language is figurative in that creating and knitting describe God’s sovereign superintendence over the natural process of reproduction.

This fact prompted the psalmist (David) to break forth in praise over the thought of how marvelously he had been made. Even David’s rudimentary knowledge of the marvels of the human body led him to be in awe and wonder. The words wonderfully and wonderful are mindful of God’s marvelous knowledge.

Then David stressed certain features of God’s superintendence over him. In the womb he was woven together (literally, “embroidered”). When he was being formed in the womb he was as remote to the human eye as the lower part of the earth. Moreover, God prerecorded all the days of David before he was even born. God marvelously planned out his purpose in life.

SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)

The name of God that we’re looking at today just briefly is Jehovah Roi which means “I am the God who shepherds you.” God referred to Himself as a shepherd and because He cares for us like a shepherd, we have no wants.

Jesus, in the New Testament, called Himself a shepherd. In John 10:11 he said "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd is willing to die for the sheep.” A love that is willing to die, a love that leaves us with no wants, that’s the type of love that God has for us and He wants you and I to experience it. .

The only thing I don’t like about these verses is that you and I are referred to as sheep. Sheep are dumb! Very dumb! If you don’t know that, have you ever seen sheep in a circus? No. They’re too dumb. Have you ever seen sheep run? They don’t bend their knees and they have knees. They have not figured it out yet. They are dumb!

And hundreds of times in the Bible we are called sheep. It’s like as if God were saying, “You want to know how the body of Christ works? Study sheep.” A sheep farmer will tell you this: Sheep require endless attention because they easily stray. (And I wonder why we’re called sheep.)

Folks, because we are called sheep I Want to remind you of some truths this morning. No matter where you are in your spiritual journey, that these foundational truths would not be just nice poetic warm. touchy truths - but that it would be personal. That it would not just be inspirational, it would be transformational.

Listen to Jeremiah 31;3 - “The Lord said ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love. I have drawn you with a loving kindness. I’ve drawn you.” Some of you wonder why you’re at COV. It’s because God’s love is drawing you to Him. God loves you very deeply and He wants you to know it today.

In Ephesians 3;17 - 18, Paul says, “I pray that you may be able to feel and understand how long, how wide, how deep and how high His love really is and to experience this love for yourself.”

Many of us have heard that God’s love is long enough to last forever, it’s wide enough to include everybody. We have heard that God’s love is deep enough to reach into our pain and despair and high enough that we can’t take anything over it.

But have we experienced God’s love? Have you experienced God’s love in your own life? Have you experienced that God loves you all the time? He loves you on your good days, your bad days, your moody days, your not so pretty days. Folks, he loves you on your ugly days, on your hateful days. He will love you when know when else can or will. WHY? Because that’s all God can do. The Bible tells us that “God is love.” He loved you enough to create you, but He also loves you enough to keep you.

Some of you know that My spiritual journey has been a long one. I’ve been a Christian since I was a teenager – 28 years. It took me 10 years of being a Christian before I really knew and experienced God’s love. I went to Bible College. I learned about God’s love. I went to graduate school and learned from some of the best teachers in the world about God’s love. I learned the Old Testament in its original language – Hebrew, and the New Testament – Greek. I went into a church and I taught about God’s love.

But what it was, was theory until about 22 years ago and I experienced it. I experienced it in a unique package – a baby. When Sharon gave birth to Kelsey, our first born, I finally got how much God loved me. I saw this little baby and my heart was flooded with love. The "I'll do anything for you" type of love. The "I'll run through hell for you" type of love. And just when I was feeling that, God tapped me on the shoulder and said to me - "that's how I feel about you, Mike." Tears came pouring out of me. I will never forget that day - never.

Some of you say that’s really sad that you didn't know how much God loved you until then – Sad? Are you kidding me? I’ll tell you what sad is – that so many people will live their entire lives and not know or experience God’s love. That's sad. That's a tragedy. That's why Ive committed my life to share God's love with others. That's why I pray everyday, you'll do the same.

I love 1 Peter 5. It says, “He is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you.” That’s the character of God. LOVE. He can’t do anything else but love us. I pray today that you understand, even if just a little, the character of God and how much He cares for you - loves you.

I love you guys. Stay Faithful. Stay the course.