By Staff
God knows everything! An obvious statement, we would say. How could God be God and not have all knowledge. But our first thought when we have trouble is, “Does God know?”
The prophet, Elijah, came down from Mt. Carmel victorious over Ahab's false prophets, and quickly ran from Queen Jezebel to the south of Israel to save his life. God met Elijah in a cave and asked him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (1 Kings 19:9). Elijah answered God in a way so as to inform Him of all the circumstances of his life.
Elijah had also concluded that God's work was in trouble. It was like God did not know how bad things were with Elijah.
God proceeded to encourage Elijah by telling him that He did know everything that was going on, plus a whole lot more that Elijah was not aware of.
God then commissioned Elijah to a new mission.
Elijah had a lapse of faith when he assumed things were going on that God did not know about.
The premise of the wicked to continue in sin is shown in Psalms, chapter 73, verse 11, “They say, ‘How does God know? And is there knowledge in the Most High?'” People sin and continue in sin because they somehow think God does not know about it.
Job's big deal during all his trouble was that he wanted to find God and present his case before Him (Job 23:1-7). Job seemed to believe that if God just knew, things would change.
It seems that we do not doubt God's power as quickly as we doubt His knowledge. How many times do we hear, “How could God know that and do nothing?” To doubt God's knowledge is to doubt God. God knows everything. He knows the beginning and the end.
Once we believe God knows, we have several steps of action. The first is to ask God for wisdom (James 1:5). Wisdom is understanding given to us by God about the ways of God.
Another step is patience. In the epistle of James, the message is to the scattered saints who have and are enduring persecution. James says, “… the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:3-4). Patience builds our character and our faith.
God's purpose for our lives is to make us like Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29). His purpose, worked through various trials and tests, takes time.
Another step is trust. Proverbs, chapter 3, verses 5-6, declares, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” We must go beyond our logical conclusions and let God be God.
Another step is to keep on asking, seeking, and knocking. Jesus said in Matthew, chapter 6, verse 32, “For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.” God knows our needs, but desires that we keep on asking, seeking, and knocking (Mathew 7:7-8). We cannot clam up on God, thinking that “He already knows, why doesn't He do something”; we must keep talking to God.
Faith is not faith until it is tested. Until we are stretched beyond our experience, we cannot grow spiritually.
God has more going on than we can imagine. There are times when we are key cogs in His plan and never know it. We must be faithful and trust in God.
As the psalmist said in Psalms, chapter 84, verse 12, “O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man who trusts in You!”
It is not about us; it is all about Him.