Three Simple Truths to Set You Free

Psalm 138 and 139 are two of my favorite Scripture passages. Time and again, they bring comfort and hope to my heart. Today I just want to remind you of some simple truths. And yes, they are simple. Many of you have probably known them for years. But I find that often, my complex struggles have basic, fundamental answers. These truths are the answer to my insecurities, my discouragement at my own sins or failures, and the empty pursuit of people-pleasing.

The gospel was not just for us before we came to Christ. It’s for every believer, all the time. And it is something we must preach to ourselves over and over again. So join me today, as we return to the basic truths that make all the difference.

The One Who Created You, Knows You.

The most fundamental question of life is, of course, “where did I come from?” If this question is not answered correctly, there is no foundation for a meaningful, purpose-filled life. And the Bible answers this very simply but profoundly. You did not evolve. You are not an accident or merely a choice. You were deliberately, carefully, perfectly created by God.

For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. 
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. 
My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 
Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them (Psalm 139:13-16).

He created your personality and your mind. He created your gender. He created your body. He created you in His image! Not only that, He sheltered you tenderly while you were yet in your mother’s womb. And you are His work, His masterpiece.

As an author knows her book, as a potter knows his clay, as the seamstress knows her threads, as the carpenter knows each angle and joint—so the Creator knows His creation. And loves it.

Yet, something came in the way of that knowledge. Sin marred the masterpiece and divided the Creator from His precious creation. In His love and mercy, through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, He made a way to claim you as His own and know you once again—even into a beautiful eternity.

This, child of God, is how you are known:

O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. 
Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. 
Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. 
For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. 
Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. 
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. 
Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 
 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. 
If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 
Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. 
If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. 
Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee (Psalm 139:1-12).

Though I know I am forgiven and redeemed by the blood of Jesus, I fail so often and disappoint myself. I look within and see selfish, fleshly tendencies. I can hide these things from others most of the time; I can put my best foot forward. We all do. But Christ knows all of that and more. While we yet sinners, He died for us. He knows every failure, every tendency to sin. He knows the depths of which we are capable.

And He still loves us!

The One Who Knows You, Loves You.

There’s no deeper human desire or fear than to be known fully. Fear, because this desire goes hand-in-hand with the yearning to be loved. And we fear that when we are known fully, we will no longer be loved. We seek to earn the love of those around us, and it’s easy to fall deep into the trap of people-pleasing.

The love of Christ is different, however. It passeth knowledge (Ephesians 3:19). It is unconditional. And nothing can separate us from it (Romans 8:35-39). His love is not based on our performance. We are loved in Christ, because of Christ. We are loved by God because He is love (1 John 4:15) and His definition of the word is so much greater than our own. His love manifested itself on the cross, and you cannot ask for a better love than that (John 15:13, 1 John 4:10).

As Charles Wesley expressed in his great hymn, “Amazing love! How can it be, that Thou, my God, shouldst die for me!”

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).

What freedom we experience when we stop trying to do or be everything, and just rest in Christ, letting Him live His life in us! When we can truly “comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and…know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge,” we can be “filled with all the fulness of God.” He will shed that same love abroad in our hearts, and instead of our own efforts and striving, we will find joy in laying down our lives for others from a place of love, not obligation.

Can I urge you to meditate on this truth today?

He knows you as no one else ever can, yet loves you as no one else ever will.

Does this mean we don’t need to change? No, for His love does not leave us where it finds us. He wants to perfect his masterpiece.

The One Who Loves You is Perfecting You.

This takes us back to Psalm 138:8. The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.

What are the works of His own hands? You and I!

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10).

Rest assured, He will never forsake the works of His own hands. Rather, He is constantly seeking to make us more like Jesus, seeking to conform us to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29).

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6).

I am thankful that He will never give up on me. I am so glad that He lovingly, patiently continues to work in my life in spite of me. What a merciful, gracious, wonderful Lord!

Friend, only you, only I, can stand in the way of the Lord perfecting us. There is nothing holding us back from the full, victorious Christian life but ourselves. He will do the work, but not against our will. May we choose to let the Lover of our souls do His work in us, today and always!

Today, I want to finish with a few questions for us all. Does your Creator know you or will He someday have to say, “Depart from Me, I never knew you”? Have you trusted Christ to save you, removing that separation between you and your Creator?

If you have—are you resting in His love? Or are you striving and struggling to earn His love or the love of others? Are you seeking to be satisfied in a lesser love when only His will truly meet the need of your heart?

And finally—do you daily surrender to let Him continue His work in you? Are you willing to change? Are you willing to give Him control of your life and let Him make you like Jesus?