Devotional 7-21-17

My All

When I taught middle school English and reading, I was adamant that my students learn Greek and Latin word roots to help them unlock word meanings. The prefix omni was especially important when we discussed an author’s point of view.

Omniscient third person point of view gives the narrator the ability to tell the story through the actions and thoughts of ALL characters, as if the narrator were God and could see and hear everything. It is preferred by many because it reveals the most information to the reader.

I can remember teaching the prefix omni to a group of eighth grade students at Vinson Middle School. As we discussed the words omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent, I saw Jeremy’s eyes light up. He said his pastor had used those words in his sermons many times, but he hadn’t understood their meanings. Now he would be more successful in following the pastor’s line of thought.

Just as the light came on for Jeremy, it came on for David as he sang about his all-knowing, all-powerful, and ever-present God.
  
Psalm 139:1-12   The Message (MSG)
A David Psalm
 God, investigate my life;
    get all the facts firsthand.
I’m an open book to you;
    even from a distance, you know what I’m thinking.
You know when I leave and when I get back;
    I’m never out of your sight.
You know everything I’m going to say
    before I start the first sentence.
I look behind me and you’re there,
    then up ahead and you’re there, too—
    your reassuring presence, coming and going.
This is too much, too wonderful—
    I can’t take it all in!
Is there any place I can go to avoid your Spirit?
    to be out of your sight?
If I climb to the sky, you’re there!
    If I go underground, you’re there!
If I flew on morning’s wings
    to the far western horizon,
You’d find me in a minute—
    you’re already there waiting!
Then I said to myself, “Oh, he even sees me in the dark!
    At night, I’m immersed in the light!”
It’s a fact: darkness isn’t dark to you;
    night and day, darkness and light, they’re all the same to you.
23-24
Investigate my life, O God,
   find out everything about me;
Cross -examine and test me;
   get a clear picture of what I’m about;
See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong,
   then guide me on the road to eternal life.

Isn’t this a beautiful description of what it means to be loved by God? Isn’t this how it feels to love the people in your life?   “You know everything about me, and you choose to stay.”

Take a minute and rejoice in the thought that you’re loved that much. Take another minute and rejoice in the realization that you have the capacity to love that much. Finally, bow your head and give thanks to your omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent Father for the love in your life and the loves of your life.
Amen

Becky Warren