Encouragement for Today

July 16, 2024 God Knows Where You Are KAREN WINGATE Lee en español

“You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.” Psalm 139:1-2 (NIV)

A sweltering day in July found me stuck in my bathroom. Our air conditioning had broken, and a repairman couldn’t come till the next day. Not realizing the heat would swell the already cantankerous doorknob, I shut the door — then discovered I couldn’t turn the knob.

My hearing-impaired husband at the other end of the house would never hear my shouts and bangs.

After 10 minutes of twisting the knob, I leaned against the sink, lightheaded from the heat. No one knows I’m here.

Swallowing my panic, I sent up an automatic prayer — Help, Lord — to the ceiling. I tried the doorknob again. It wouldn’t budge. But the truth of my prayer hit me. God knows I’m here. He knows I’m trapped. I prayed because I believe He does see what has happened to me.

Psalm 139:1-2 highlights this truth: “You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.”

Later, the psalmist reflected, “If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there (Psalm 139:8, NIV).

God knows everything about us: where we are, what we’re doing, what we’re thinking, how we got where we are, and where we’ll be in the future. Nothing escapes His notice.

You and I have moments when we feel stuck and alone. Caring for an elderly parent. Dealing with a defiant teenager. Facing an insurmountable debt. Maybe we share the details of our dilemmas with those closest to us, but they give us confused looks or off-target advice. We realize our inability to remedy the situation or to get help from anyone else.

But we are not alone. Since God knows when a sparrow falls to the ground, as Jesus told His followers in Matthew 10:29-31, God is aware of everything that happens to us. And since God knows everything about us, He also has the understanding and foresight to resolve our situations. Best of all, He wants to work with us, imparting His perfect wisdom to help us move toward His best for us.

Armed with this reminder, I asked the Lord for guidance on unsticking that stuck doorknob. The idea came to jiggle it forward and backward while turning it.

Yes! With a wiggle and a twist, I was set free from my sweltering prison.

My friend, you are not alone. The God who stands beside you is the One who will go before you. He knows how you got where you are and the best way to move you from where you now stand. Join Him and move with Him toward freedom.

Lord, when no one else is near or understands what I’m facing, You know everything that is happening to me even before I call for help. You have the power and desire to rescue me whenever or wherever I’m stuck. Thank You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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Today’s devotion writer, Karen Wingate, has redesigned her Pinterest page to share Bible verses, quotes from her book With Fresh Eyes, and quotes from her other writing. Check out Karen’s Pinterest page here.

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FOR DEEPER STUDY

Deuteronomy 31:8, “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” (NIV).

In his final instructions to the Israelites before he died, Moses reminded them in Deuteronomy 31:8 that God was always with them and would guide them where they needed to go.

How does the truth that God is always with you and knows everything about you give you courage to talk to Him about what you are facing? Let's encourage one another in the comments!

© 2024 by Karen Wingate. All rights reserved.