Fully Known

By Katie Kafka

A promise from God I go back to time and again is found in Psalm 139 where David expresses a heart of gratitude toward God:

For you formed my inward parts;

You wove me in my mother’s womb.

I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Wonderful are Your works,

And my soul knows it very well.

Psalm 139:13 – 14

I remind myself of these verses often in this season of my life. Sometimes I turn here when my kids need encouragement. I pass on these verses to them so they know their life matters. The contribution they make in this world can be distinct because God designed them in the most wonderful way. I pray for those moments when they begin to see themselves the way God sees them. For when they do, their light shines brighter in a way that brings attention to God’s wonderful works. My soul knows it very well.

Reminding my kids of this promise tends to take me to a place of gratitude as I begin to also remind myself that God sees me this way too. Yes, He does! How silly would it be to stake this claim for my kids and not hold on to it in my own life? So I begin to step into this promise for myself. In moments of waiting and wondering and transition and navigating important relationships, Psalm 139 brings a peace that fills my soul with hope. The entire psalm is filled with promises that come with being in rapport with God. Grab hold of each one:

• God knows me. (v. 1 – 2)
• God understands my thoughts. (v. 2)
• God cares about where I’ve been, where I am now and where I am headed. (v. 3)
• God will guard me. (v. 5)
• God’s Spirit is everywhere. (v. 7 – 12)
• Never was I a secret to God. (v. 15)
• God has already determined the number of days I spend in the world. (v. 16)

In my relationship with God, I hold on to the promise that He just flat out knows me. Searched and known, God put in all the effort to see who I am. Every inch, every corner, every nuance, every subtlety; examined by Him.

God doesn’t just know me as an individual, but He also knows my circumstances and the choices surrounding each one. My responses to the moments of life are no secret to God. My position in this world is no mystery to Him either. Where I’ve been. Where I am now. Where I am headed. These details are all known by God. When I stop to think about all these promises that come with knowing God, I tend to agree with David when he says in verse 6, “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot attain to it”.

Realizing I am fully known by the Creator of all things gives me a heart of praise and gratitude. It often translates into this overwhelming sense of loyalty to the One who takes so much care in His creation. Because He knows me, I want to know God to the fullest extent that I am able. His thoughts are precious to me. I want to be near to Him. I want to be God’s ally in this world that desperately needs Him. I am willing to walk through periods of refinement:

Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Try me and know my anxious thoughts;

And see if there be any hurtful way in me,

And lead me in the everlasting way.

Psalm 139:23 – 24

Lord God, thank you for how we are fearfully and wonderfully made. You took special care, thought and consideration with each one of us. I praise You for how You know each and every person. Your attention towards us doesn’t just stop at knowledge. It goes beyond knowledge to understanding. Fully known and understood by You, that is the relationship you offer. We are so grateful. Continue to show us how you have created us to be. I pray that we would reciprocate the affection by desiring to know You deeply. Keep us open to seasons of refinement. Help us, also, to see others the way You made them. Wonderful are Your works, and our souls know it very well.