Happy Sabbath friends! Have you ever been around people that you felt you could not be your genuine self around? Or maybe you have been around people that you could be your full self around. Whatever the case may be, you can rest in the truth that you can be your genuine full self with Jesus.

“You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.”
Psalms 139:1-2 NIV

“And the Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.””
Exodus 33:17 NIV

““Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.””
Jeremiah 1:5 NIV

We can rest in the truth that God knows us. We don’t have to hide ourselves from our Heavenly Father because He already knows the secrets that are in our hearts and minds. God knows us, and has known us, even before we were born. He knows everything that we have done, thought, felt, etc., and yet, He still loves us. It is so unbelievably comforting to know that we can be our authentic and genuine self around our Heavenly Father because He already knows it all. It would be silly to hide ourselves from God because He knows all. He knows where we are, who we are, and what we want to be. He knows us better than we know ourselves.

“If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.”
1 John 3:20 NIV

“then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive and act; deal with everyone according to all they do, since you know their hearts (for you alone know every human heart),”
1 Kings 8:39 NIV

Remember Adam and Eve? After Eve ate the apple from the tree that God blatantly told her not to eat from, they decided to hide from God. Every time I read this story in the book of Genesis, I always find it silly that Adam and Eve tried hiding from God. He clearly already knew where they were, what they were thinking, and what they had done. Yet, when I humble myself, it opens my eyes to the fact that whenever I am filled with guilt and shame, I too want to hide myself from the Lord.

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ” “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.””
Genesis 3:1-13 NIV

Even when Adam and Eve sinned against God, our Heavenly Father was still searching for them. He knew what they did. He knew where they were. He knew what they were thinking. Yet, He still loved them unconditionally. In this world, it can be hard to be our authentic and genuine selves because in this world you can be faced with rejection, degrading comments, negativity, tribulations, etc. This is why it is so amazing and comforting being reminded that we have a Heavenly Father that accepts, chooses, and loves us with His whole being. We can always rest in the fact that even when the world may not accept us, we have a Savior who accepted us even before we were born. Instead of hiding from our Heavenly Father when we fall short, or sin in some way, turn your eyes upon Jesus. We can try to hide from Him, but He will always be right there wondering where you went — just as He did with Adam and Eve. This world may be quick to judge, reject, etc., but God is quick to forgive, love, and so much more. In moments where we feel ashamed and/or scared to be our genuine and authentic selves, we can rest in the truth that God is waiting for us to run towards Him. God is our safe place. He is our permanent home. In His presence, we don’t have to be ashamed of our pasts, brokenness, mistakes, short-comings, etc., because in Him, we are made new. He meets us wherever we are at — whether that is a good or bad place — and He shows us His abundant grace and love.

““Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.””
Matthew 11:28-30 NIV

“The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.””
Zephaniah 3:17 NIV

“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.”
Psalms 139:7-10 NIV

I pray over all who are reading this message that they would be filled with Your Holy Spirit. I pray over all that they truly believe and allow the truth to sink in their hearts and minds that they are indeed safe in Your presence, Lord Jesus. Please be with each person reading this message, and remind them that You are constantly seeking a genuine and authentic relationship with them. This world may reject, or put us down, but we can rest in the fact that You are and always will be there for each of us to fill us with Your abundant peace, rest, love, and grace. Thank You for knowing us, and wanting to know us on a deeper level. Thank You for loving us still after knowing where we came from, who we are, what we have done, and our everyday thoughts. We may fall short, or sin against You — as we are by no means perfect — but we can trust in the fact that if we simply choose You…that You will always be there ready to guide us along the narrow way.

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8 NIV

Always remember: Jesus not only KNOWS us, but He LOVES us.

Amen.