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Psalm 139 has some of the most memorable verses in scripture. In this beautiful poem we find

Verse after verse to remind us God has been with us since before we were born–verses that get quoted often, beloved by so many. But it seems the first few verses get overlooked.

¹ You have searched me, Lord,
    and you know me.
^2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
    you perceive my thoughts from afar.
^3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.
^4 Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely.
^5 You hem me in behind and before,
    and you lay your hand upon me.
^6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    too lofty for me to attain.

Psalm 139:1-6

I know people who avoid these verses because verse two reminds them God sees them in the shower. Others don’t like to think about the Almighty knowing those bad words were about to come out but they stopped before the worst erupted. And being hemmed in sounds too restrictive for most. We want freedom. We don’t want to be caged. Yet, somehow, David didn’t look at it that way.

In verse six, the great king say the knowledge of God’s seeing and restrictions was too wonderful for him. David knew God wasn’t putting limitations on him, his heavenly Father was setting boundaries. David understood better than most that a king who took the time to know the details of every subject was a daunting task, impossible for his human efforts. The fact God knew his thoughts and cared about the words on his tongue wasn’t intimidating, it was awe-inspiring. The Sovereign King wanted to know him intimately.

This thought should strike us with reverence too. The Creator of the Universe, the One who holds eternity in the palm of His hand cares about every move we make. He wants to hear our thoughts, complaints, and ramblings. He has time for us. Even your closest friend sometimes has to turn down your invitation. Work and other commitments get in the way of him spending every moment with you. God wants to do better. Solomon called him a friend who sticks closer than a brother. (Proverbs 18:24) God told Joshua he would never leave or forsake him. (Joshua 1:5b) You will never find a human who can offer such attention and love.

Unfortunately, we’re like the Prodigal in Luke 15. This young boy lived under the protection of his father’s home, he had every provision he could imagine, but his dad knew his every move. The boy wanted freedom. He wanted autonomy. As the old saying goes, “Be careful what you ask for.”

God gives us the freedom to choose. He won’t hold us back from being our own ruler. Unfortunately, the consequences of that choice can be deadly.

Our Redeemer hems us in to keep us safe. He offers a guarantee of life if we follow Him, including abundant life here on earth. Every blessing of our Father belongs to those who cling to Him like a father. As Joshua said, “Choose for yourselves who you will serve. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)

Adira had to learn who to serve.
She considered the false gods of Babylon.
They were attractive to her friends.
But ultimately, she discovered there was only one road home.
Read Adira: Journey to Freedom today