Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. – Hebrews 4:13 NIV
The realization that I had even as a child that we can never hide anything from God used to both terrify me and also comfort me, which is the way that it should be. Living with nothing hidden, nothing lied about, and nothing held back, it just made things SO much simpler in a complicated world.
And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 18:3 NIV
Even a child can understand what it means to both love God and fear him, and they often have a natural inclination to want to please their Father out of both respect and fear of the ramifications if they choose to break his rules. As adults, we gain a different perspective, and it’s one of autonomy and self-confidence in our ability to make our own decisions, and even sometimes our own rules. But as adults change from having the innocence of a child, the Lord does not change.
“For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.” – Malachi 3:6 ESV
We are not only encouraged to fear God, but commanded to fear God, and since we know that God is all-knowing and we cannot hide anything from him, that should strike fear in us. It also should give us comfort as long as we are living with nothing hidden, nothing lied about, and nothing held back.
Satan wants us to believe that we aren’t worthy of being able to get close enough to God to find comfort in the one who can see everything we try to hide in ourselves. But if we can trust Jesus, then we will realize that we are not alone to carry the weight of our sin and shame.
But Christ, as the Son, is in charge of God’s entire house. And we are God’s house, if we keep our courage and remain confident in our hope in Christ. – Hebrews 3:6 NLT
With Jesus Christ in charge of us and faithful to us, we can be confident and courageous as we face the unknowns of this life, and find rest in a healthy fear of God which pleases him.
(Originally posted on October 7, 2024 on Stephanie K Ford’s Facebook page)