SUNDAY MEDITATIONPsalm139:2 and 6
Let me share some reflections on two phrases David, the psalmist, uses in these verses.
In verse 2, He addressed God, by saying, 'You know when I sit and when I rise' The subsequent three verses are his confessions of his consciousness of God, knowing him and his activities, thoughts, speech and movements.
The first phrase is GOD KNOWS ME. This is a source of comfort and rest. This knowing that is referred to here, conveys God's intimacy and proximity. David had earlier experienced this reality of God in his life, when he referred to God as his Shepherd. A shepherd is present with his sheep, at all times, day and night, watching, leading, providing and protecting.
One mother rushed to the adjacent room, hearing her child cry. The room was noisy with 15 other children playing. She heard and recognized the voice of her daughter in the din. The mother went to look for her with her out stretched hands and her daughter was received in an embrace. It gave me an insight, on how much a mother is tuned towards her child and discerning of her need even from a distance.'Call to me, I will answer' is a oft repeated promise in the Scripture. David even while facing Goliath, said, 'In the name of the Lord, I go. 'I am always with you..'is an everlasting covenant, that God made with humankind.
The second phrase is MY KNOWLEDGE OF GOD(v.6). David speaks of this as a wonderful experience. God is big and large in Solomon's experience that, while making the prayer of dedication of the temple he built at Jerusalem, he said, 'heaven and earth cannot contain you, how much less this temple'! It is a mystery that humans who are finite and mortal can relate to an infinite and eternal God. There is a limitation to our knowledge of God as humans.
But God is constantly revealing Himself to humankind to enlarge our knowledge of Him. He revealed Himself in nature; He spoke and made Himself known to us through the prophets; He later revealed Himself in Jesus of Nazareth; God reveals Himself in a believer's life through His Holy Spirit. Every believer is on a journey waiting for a deepening experience of God, which then can enhance knowledge of God. Sometimes our knowledge of God is made more real through adverse circumstances. Job's confession at the end of his suffering that, 'so far I have had only a hearing of God, but now my eyes have seen Him..' is a pointer to the reality that God designs our circumstance to enlarge our knowledge of Him.
These two realities, God knows me, and My knowledge of him are like two sides of a coin. They are resonances of each other. This is what gives a follower of Jesus an anchor in all circumstances. We cannot hide ourselves from God and He does not withdraw His loving presence from us.
When Cardinal Basil Hume recollects his childhood, refers to a dream he had later in his life. His knowledge of God as a child was, as one, who watched over him to punish for every bad deed he did. In this dream, he is given a jar of cookies. He looks around and having made sure that no one is watching him, hesitantly puts his hand to take a cookie. Suddenly he hears a voice within himself, 'Son, take one more'. Cardinal Basil Hume was overcome by an enveloping love of God that, He began seeing God as his loving Father from then onwards.
Our knowledge of God needs revision. We can be skeptics; fearful; feeling distant or let down; angry and disbelieving... at best all these can be transient experiences in our lives. God Loves us ought to become a resident reality in our lives.
M.C.Mathew (text and photo)
The first phrase is GOD KNOWS ME. This is a source of comfort and rest. This knowing that is referred to here, conveys God's intimacy and proximity. David had earlier experienced this reality of God in his life, when he referred to God as his Shepherd. A shepherd is present with his sheep, at all times, day and night, watching, leading, providing and protecting.
One mother rushed to the adjacent room, hearing her child cry. The room was noisy with 15 other children playing. She heard and recognized the voice of her daughter in the din. The mother went to look for her with her out stretched hands and her daughter was received in an embrace. It gave me an insight, on how much a mother is tuned towards her child and discerning of her need even from a distance.'Call to me, I will answer' is a oft repeated promise in the Scripture. David even while facing Goliath, said, 'In the name of the Lord, I go. 'I am always with you..'is an everlasting covenant, that God made with humankind.
The second phrase is MY KNOWLEDGE OF GOD(v.6). David speaks of this as a wonderful experience. God is big and large in Solomon's experience that, while making the prayer of dedication of the temple he built at Jerusalem, he said, 'heaven and earth cannot contain you, how much less this temple'! It is a mystery that humans who are finite and mortal can relate to an infinite and eternal God. There is a limitation to our knowledge of God as humans.
But God is constantly revealing Himself to humankind to enlarge our knowledge of Him. He revealed Himself in nature; He spoke and made Himself known to us through the prophets; He later revealed Himself in Jesus of Nazareth; God reveals Himself in a believer's life through His Holy Spirit. Every believer is on a journey waiting for a deepening experience of God, which then can enhance knowledge of God. Sometimes our knowledge of God is made more real through adverse circumstances. Job's confession at the end of his suffering that, 'so far I have had only a hearing of God, but now my eyes have seen Him..' is a pointer to the reality that God designs our circumstance to enlarge our knowledge of Him.
These two realities, God knows me, and My knowledge of him are like two sides of a coin. They are resonances of each other. This is what gives a follower of Jesus an anchor in all circumstances. We cannot hide ourselves from God and He does not withdraw His loving presence from us.
When Cardinal Basil Hume recollects his childhood, refers to a dream he had later in his life. His knowledge of God as a child was, as one, who watched over him to punish for every bad deed he did. In this dream, he is given a jar of cookies. He looks around and having made sure that no one is watching him, hesitantly puts his hand to take a cookie. Suddenly he hears a voice within himself, 'Son, take one more'. Cardinal Basil Hume was overcome by an enveloping love of God that, He began seeing God as his loving Father from then onwards.
Our knowledge of God needs revision. We can be skeptics; fearful; feeling distant or let down; angry and disbelieving... at best all these can be transient experiences in our lives. God Loves us ought to become a resident reality in our lives.
M.C.Mathew (text and photo)
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