Date:    08/09/09

Text:    Psalm 139

Title:    What Size is Your God?

Theme: Since God is so great and beyond, His children can find comfort in trusting and following Him.

Introduction:

  Recently I brought 3 pairs of pants for the price of one. After wearing them, I discovered that their lengths do not match my height. So I cut and hemmed them in order to fit me. If you have money and your size is not standard, you may custom make your shirts, pants and suits. We make adjustments to clothes so they'll fit us. We want our bed sheets to fit our mattress. We want our golf clubs, ping pong paddles and tennis rackets to fit us perfectly. If you are picky, you even want the car's windshield shade to fit the car just right. Most politicians give us what we want and few lead us to a higher ground.

  Sometimes, we carry this into our spiritual journey. We want a God that fits our understanding and needs. A custom made God. It doesn't quite make sense, does it? If it is a custom made God, then he would be just as small as we are.   

For the past 7 months, we have been looking at Connecting with God. We learned that the moment we put our faith in Jesus Christ, we are connected with God. We learned how this connection is to be expressed in our daily living. Beginning today, and in the following two Sundays, we'll study several Psalms to help us to have a greater understanding of the God to whom we are connected.

  This morning we'll look at Psalm 139. This is a familiar psalm that is examined when we tackle the issue of sanctity and the significance of life. However, when we take a closer look at this Psalm, it has a much broader perspective than we normally see. It tells us about how big and great this God is.

I  •  We find comfort in the All Knowing God. vs.1-6

In vs.1, “ O Lord, you have searched me and known me!”; vs.2-3, “ You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.” Vs.4, “Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.” God searches, knows our thoughts and behaviors. He discerns, meaning he knows which thoughts are good and which are evil. Even before we open our mouths, he already knows what will come out of it. There is nothing we can hide from him.

For those us with children, even before they speak a word or make a move, we know what they are up to. No wonder to the little ones, mom is like God, who knows everything. As fallen beings, we have certain thoughts or behaviors that we don't want anyone to know, right? But this doesn't work with God. He knows everything about me. Even before we utter a word or make a move, He knows what we are up to. There is nothing we can hide from him.

And then vs.6, “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.” God's thorough knowledge of me is beyond my comprehension, it is too much for me. And vs. 5, “You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.” How do we take this? When you face someone who knows you thoroughly, what is your response? Sometimes in conversations with a staff member, he would predict what I'd think or do and he was right on the dot. I often responded by saying, this is scary. It is scary to face someone who knows me inside and out. For this reason, sometimes after we have shared some of our deepest feeling and struggles with a person, we begin to withdraw and avoid that individual. You see, one could have feelings of fear and insecurity when another person knows us too well.

So how about God knowing us inside out? Is this comforting or threatening? It really depend on where we are spiritually. If I am self-centered, with selfish ambitions or disobedient to his teaching, His omniscience is threatening. We may say, don't come near me, don't hem me in, don't lay your hands on me. I'll come to you when I need you.

However, when I am striving to live a obedient life, loving God and men, I will welcome his omniscience. Such a comfort to know that this God knows me so thoroughly, even at times when I don't know myself well.

  II  •  We find comfort in the All present God. 7-12

Vs.7, “Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?” vs.8, “If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!” Its not about the next world, heaven or hell. It means that if we go to the top of Mt. Everest , God is there. If we go to the tip of S. America , God is there. We just can't get away from him, he is everywhere. Vs.9-10, “If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.” If I go to the east, you are there. If I go to the far side of the sea, you are there already.

  Is this comforting or threatening? Again, it depends on where we are spiritually, right? If I am not walking with the Lord, being disobedient to him, this is scary. If I am doing my best to live an obedient life, what a comfort this can bring us. In vs.11-12, “If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.” Even in a place where light has turned into darkness, God is there.

  Most of us from overseas have read King Yung's martial arts stories. It is said that where there are Chinese, there you'll find his books. In quite a few of his stories, there was this main character being captured and thrown into either a dark cave or a deep well. It was miserable and painful. But after a while, he realized that someone else was there. Moreover, this person's kung fu was eons ahead of him and the rest of the world. So the dark cave turned into a once in a life time experience.

  We have experienced times in life when we feel our light has turned into darkness. Looking back, we recognized that God was there. Some may feel that you are in the midst of darkness, or you are expecting a career change in another few years, or entering another stage in life. You have never been there before. This could be scary and full of anxiety. Yet we are being reminded that even before we land there, he is there already. Do you remember the first time you came to this country? Or the first time you flew into a new city ? What was the first thing you did after claiming your luggage? You looked for a friend or relative who has promised to come meet you. What a relief when you saw that face. The same is true with life. When I know that He is present with me, He is already there at the place I'll be at next month or next year, It is a very comforting thought.

III.   We find comfort in the All Creative God. 13-18

   Vs.13-16, “ For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them.” These familiar words tell us that God's handiwork was upon us not just from birth to death, but at the very moment of conception, he was there and He knew me. Even before our mothers were aware of us, God was there creating us, molding us according to his image..

  Vs.17-18, “How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you.” God has put so many thoughts into us during this creation process, both before and after birth and they were countless. He thought of our body, mind, psy, emotions, our situations and relationships with people around us. He has so creatively created each one of us. You know, there are 6.7 billion people living on earth now. No two finger prints are alike. Likewise, there are no two human DNA sequences are exactly the same. Each one of us is very unique and precious to Him. We have dignity and nobility because he made us.

  We may be surrounded by people who show no respect to us, treating us like dirt. When you are in such situations, please remember to come to the God who created you. To Him, you are very precious and unique. Don't allow yourselves to succumb to people looking down on you. Tell yourself and others, you are very valuable in God's sight. And this is how we should treat those God brings into our lives. Treat each person with respect and dignity.

  About one week ago, there was a news item in the NY Times about Apple factories in Guangzhou . There were reports of mistreatments and salary delays, leading to protests and unrest. The Apple headquarter in Cupertino issued a statement to urge fair and just treatment of the employees in Guangzhou . And the last sentence was: treat the workers with dignity and respect.

  If a secular company can do this, how much more we Christians should practice this. When I treat you with dignity and respect, it means that I will not gossip about you behind you. I will not look down on you or insult you with words nor will I abuse you physically nor psychologically. I will not view you based on your income, position and your possession. Nor will I view you based on how active your are in this and other churches. Instead, seeing you as created in God's image, full of beauty and dignity.

  I still remember an encounter with the late Francis Schaeffer some 33 years ago. He greeted me with great respect and politeness. He even remembered the matter I discussed with him a year earlier. He made me feel good, important and unique.

IV.   We find comfort in the All Holy God. 19-24

  Listen to vs.19, “Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me!” You notice the sudden change, such as noble thoughts in v18, “”to such venomous thoughts in v19. Furthermore, the psalmist did not show any regret over using such strong words. CS Lewis wrote that the psalmist wrote these words as if God needed to be reminded by the psalmist. However, in both v1 and v23 we have the words search and know. This points to the fact that 19-24 is an integral part of psalm 139.

  Vs. 20-22, “They speak against you with malicious intent; your enemies take your name in vain! Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you? I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies.” vs.20 are threats from the enemies. vs.21-22, is about a Holy God and His enemies.

Moreover, we see that the psalmist hates what God hates. This means we are to identify with God's cause, to be aligned with his heart. Being created by God in his image, we are moral beings. We can differentiate right from wrong, but which side are we on? Are we on God's side, or on His enemies' side?

  History and our personal experience have shown us that there were times we avoided taking sides or were on the wrong side. Rwandan's president Paul Kagame said in 2006 to the international community on the anniversary of the Rwandan genocide, “You kept quiet…….. when these victims wanted your help to survive, you kept quiet.” By being silent, the international community took the wrong side. At a personal level, there are times our words and behavior show that we are on the wrong side of God. Instead, like the psalmist, we are to align ourselves with God, hating what He hates. We are to choose to be obedient to God, loving Him and men in all situations. Very often we pray that God will bless America , or at times of war, we ask God to be on our side. If we take God's words seriously, we should pray that God will help America to be on His side. Instead of asking God to bless us, we should ask God to help us to be on his side; obeying Him, loving Him and men in all situations.

  Then finally, what is the key to be on God's side? Vs.23-24, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” First, we are to open ourselves to God's searching, inviting him to search us. Secondly, we ask God to test us, to see if our thoughts and insights are on his side. Are they in line with God's truth as revealed in the Bible? Thirdly, we need to recognize there could be evil ways and intentions within us.

  In other words, we need to reflect and recognize that we could be wrong and there could be evil, wrong and unhealthful thoughts and motives within us. Our behaviors and attitudes could be wrong and we need God to search us and point them out to us. Only after I recognize my straying way, then I will correct and walk in God's path.

Conclusion:

  We want to make sure our clothes, gloves and even chairs fit us so they are comfortable to wear and use. Isn't this true that while they are comfortable, they are only as big or as small as we are. Can we try to imagine making this infinite God to fit this finite person? To make God as big or as small as we are is really an oxymoron. For this reason, over 50 years ago, J.B. Phillips wrote the book, “Your God is Too Small.”

In Today's Psalm, we learn that the God we are connected to is all knowing, all present, all creative and all holy. He is much, much bigger than we are. So what does it mean to us in our daily lives? I like to close with some of James Boice's thoughts. First, it will humble us. There is nothing we can boast before the God who knows us so thoroughly. Secondly, it brings comfort to us. Knowing that wherever I am, or wherever I will go tomorrow, next week or next month, He is already there waiting for me. This is great comfort and encouragement. Then thirdly, with Him as my God, it will cause me to come to him to pray. If He is my size, custom made to fit my needs, why should I be praying to someone who is my size? But when he is so much greater and beyond me, it will motivate me to bring all my concerns to God in prayer, and experience the peace and joy that transcends all circumstances.

  He is so much greater and beyond us, this is the reason to follow, trust and obey him.