He knows, y'know!

Many years ago, there was a British comedienne (and one was even permitted to use a feminine form of the word!) named Hylda Baker.  In one of her acts, she had a 'partner' - a very tall lady whom the audience knew as 'Cynthia'.  Cynthia towered over Hylda Baker, who presented a monologue that seemed to go on forever.  Much of the monologue concerned poor Cynthia, who stood there, never uttering a word, but with a 'hang-dog' look.  Hylda's catch-phrase, as she would look up at Cynthia (who did no more than nod), was "She knows, y'know!"  

I thought of those words when I read a daily contribution to my e-mail Inbox, this morning.  The passage of Scripture to which reference was made was II Samuel 7:18-29, and the words that 'jumped out' at me are in v.20 where King David says, in prayer, "You know what Your servant is really like, Sovereign Lord." (NLT).

"You know what Your servant is really like,"  It's quite a thought!  Most people don't know what I am "really like".  I have a 'public persona' that they see - but the real me is, so often, something totally different.  However, God sees me as I really am.  He knows me better even than I know myself!

In Deut. 29:29 we read these words of Moses, the servant of God: "The secret things belong to the Lord our God; ..."  Now I know the context of those words, and am aware that they don't refer to the knowledge the Almighty has of me (and of you!).  However, is it not true that He does know the 'secret things' of our hearts; the things that we would prefer others not to know; the things that would make us ashamed of they were to become public knowledge?

I have often said that my problem is my mind.  I have reasonable control of my actions, and of my speech.  My mind, however, is a totally different kettle of fish!  Is that why Paul, writing to those early disciples of Jesus, in the great city of Rome, urged them "... to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.  Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Rom 12:1-2; emphasis added)?

Of course, the wonderful thing is that, even although He knows me so very well; even although He sees me as I really am; even although He is aware of my every fault and failing; He still loves me with an everlasting love (see Jer.31:3).  "While we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. ... ... But God shows His love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us." (Rom 5:6,8).  That's the sort of love that surely demands a positive response.  If He could love me like that, then surely the least that I can do is to respond with the love of my own heart, weak and imperfect 'though that is. Amazingly, He accepts even that love!  "For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust." (Ps.103:14).   He understands that I am still confined in this sinful body of flesh.  He understands that, like Paul, "I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. ... ...; [that] I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand.  For I delight in the law of God, in my inmost self, but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin which dwells in my members." (Rom 7:15, 21-23).

The hymn-writer, William Cowper, spoke for many of us when he wrote:
"Lord, it is my chief complaint
That my love is weak and faint;
Yet I love Thee, and adore,
Oh, for grace to love Thee more!"

They're words worth echoing - and, I am convinced, they bring joy to the Father's heart.