Scared To Be KnownPavyzdys

[Illustrations included in this devotional are not visible in this view. Illustrations are only supported in the Bible App for iOS, Android, and at Bible.com] By Chris Kim I have two confessions to make . . . 1\. I pay someone to read books for me and then send me their notes. Think “CliffsNotes” for adults. 2\. I wear nonprescription glasses. They’re completely fake. The book thing makes me sound smarter than I really am. The glasses thing makes me look smarter than I really am. Unfortunately, both things are designed to help me mask something to look better than I am. I actually have a long list of things I do to keep people from knowing the real me. Call it “image-management”; call it “insecurity.” You can call it whatever you want, but you know what I’m talking about. I can’t be the only one who wrestles with this, right? That’s why Psalm 139 is so haunting. The entire psalm is a reminder that you can fool everyone else, but you can’t fool God. It’s 50 percent terrifying that there’s nowhere I can hide from God. But it’s also 50 percent refreshing to think, Okay, it’s useless to have any secrets from God, so I might as well be completely open with him. In fact, he probably sees things I even try to hide from myself. Psalm 139:23–24 is a prayer that I only say when I’m really feeling courageous: Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. For me, it’s not an everyday prayer. I don’t think I’m brave enough for that. But when I’m actually ready to make some headway toward being honest with myself, I’ll recite Psalm 139 as a personal prayer. I will also pray that God gives me the strength to tackle whatever he shows me in being fully known. Questions for Reflection: 1\. What things are you trying to hide from other people? What things are you trying to hide from yourself? 2\. Are you willing to make Psalm 139 a personal prayer? Are you willing to deal with the things that God may surface from that prayer?