By Larry Stover | Stover lives in Valley Grande and is pastor at Praise Park Ministries Church of the Nazarene

Have you thought how amazing it is that God knows everything? In theology class we called that “omniscience.” It means that He has complete knowledge of everything. It’s more than he simply has a high I.Q. or can make a perfect score on the ACT or SAT tests. As amazing as it sounds, God knows everything about the past, present and the future.

It’s easy to understand the idea that God knows all about my past. I can accept the fact that he knows what is happening in my life right now. But, many people struggle with the idea that he also fully understands the future. Imagine where you will be in five, 10, or even 20 years. God’s understanding of where you will be is just as certain to him as where you were 10 years ago.

To help us understand this dynamic power of the Lord, let me sum it up with three thoughts. There is no question that can confound him. There is no dilemma that can confuse him. And, there is no event that can surprise him. Nothing is news to him.

Let me illustrate this with a look at Psalm 139. God knows when I get up or when I sit down (v.2).  He knows about every place I go (v.3). It may be a little scary to some but he also knows every word you are going to say before it is ever spoken (v. 4). You really do matter to God.

The Lord is so involved in your life that he is even concerned about the little things that occur from day to day. It’s no wonder that he loves you more than you can imagine.

Because God is so intimately acquainted with your life it can be scary as well. He also knows about the secret sin in your life. You may be involved in some activity that you know that would not be approved by God but you keep on doing it anyway. Have you convinced yourself that no one knows about it but you? Don’t fret wondering if God is going to find out because he already knows.

Let me illustrate this point. Have you ever did something to your car and were scared to death to let your spouse know about it. They got home from work and you were all fidgety and avoided much talk because you didn’t want to own up to what happened. After finally getting the nerve to tell them, you discovered that they already knew. Well, God is like that. He already knows what is happening in your life; the good, the bad and the ugly.
God also knows about the scars in your life. As I talk with people on a daily basis, there are past experiences that are generating a damaging effect on them. He knows about your depression and shattered self-esteem.

The real tragedy is that people are allowing Satan to keep them in that bondage by making them believe that they can no longer be reconciled to God or other people.

The best news that I can give you today is that God wants to set you free from that bondage through forgiveness and restoration.

God knows if you have been hurt by the church or people in it. One of the most destructive attitudes among Christians today is the idea, “get over it.”  This totally unbiblical idea has replaced the need to seek and offer forgiveness. Jesus was very clear that we cannot be justified in God’s sight if we are in need of being reconciled with each other. Many believers have lost their effectiveness because they don’t feel the need to seek reconciliation with others.

God is not about condemning you; he loves you.  He wants to forgive you and give you a fresh start in life. He is very anxious for you to become the person he wants you to be. That’s why we believe and teach that God has a wonderful plan for each of our lives. We really begin to live when we discover his purpose and make that our mission in life.  Most of all it will make our life “Simply Beautiful.”