God Hems Me In

Psalm 139:1-6
You have searched me, Lord,
and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely.
You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.

How do I want to be known?

Who am I? Tim’s wife, my children’s mother, my parents’ daughter, Babbaw or Grammy Penny. Or perhaps you knew me when I was a quilter and crafter, a librarian who read to your children, the volleyball coach, or the lady who rode her bicycle all over town. Maybe you know me now—as a writer, a reader, or a reviewer.

In whatever phase of life I’ve been known, I strive to be recognized as a follower of Jesus. As I continue to work through my story and purpose along the path God sets for me, I pray I leave a trail of kindness and encouragement.

In the psalm, the writer, David, confirms God knows him. Not as a passerby, but as an in-depth relational bond. The Father sees when he gets up, lays down, comes and goes, and every word on his heart and tongue. David must have been humbled by this realization, as I am. When I stop and think about God seeing, hearing, and knowing everything I do, I’m a little taken back. He’s known me since I was a tiny embryo, and now he sees me with white hair and (ahem) a few wrinkles.

He sees my ugly and my beautiful. And loves me anyway.

God hems me in—in other words, I cannot hide from Him. There is not one thing I can bury, cover up, or camouflage. He sees my heart, my intentions, and my failures. He hears my words and follows me on social media. Seriously, God is aware of all of our comings and goings. Sounds a bit overwhelming, right?

But it’s not. When we live as though our heavenly Father knows us, then we live in obedience, serving one another in love.

Be the person God nods at and acknowledges as the one trying to do his or her best.

Look in God's Mirror

Ephesians 4:29
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

As a writer, I think about words a lot.

When I was a teenager, I spent too much time in front of the mirror. I didn't wear makeup, but I brushed my long straight hair for hours. I checked my outfits to make sure I conformed to strict school rules. And I talked to myself. The words weren't positive. I didn't like my ears or nose. I wasn't as pretty as my friends. The lies I told myself hurt and beat up any confidence I had. Unfortunately, this is typical behavior for many teenagers and adults.

I still talk to myself but not in the same demeaning way I did as a young person. Over the years my attitude changed, one of the benefits of growing older and wiser. I learned to listen to the words of God, my husband, my family, and my friends. You see—they value me as a person. Oh, I'm not perfect and I make plenty of mistakes, yet I'm a useful and unique person who loves God and seeks his purpose.

God created me, not to knock myself down, but to soar.

I love Psalm 139:13-14
For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
 I know that full well.

If my words are negative, self-talk is unwholesome and detrimental. Our minister said, "Stop beating yourself up with self-talk." He instructed us to "Look in the mirror of God's truth." God made you and me as a wonderful work of his creation. He made us on purpose. Look in the mirror and see the potential God sees. Ephesians 4:29 tells us to build each other up, not to let negative talk pour from our mouths. That applies to talking to ourselves too. Spill out the positive on others and yourself.

Whether you've been treasured by family and friends or sent into a tailspin of abuse. God sees your value. He cherishes you. Change self-talk from negative to positive and know God created you as a beautiful person with joy and hope in His heart.