“You have searched me, Lord, and you know me.”
Psalm 139:1, NIV
Early in my Christian walk, I was invited to be a part of a small group in the large Episcopal Church I was attending. We would meet every Friday night for a meal, Bible study and prayer. Being new to the area, it gave me a chance to build relationships with people in the church in a much smaller setting. Though I was hesitant at first, it ended up being one of the most influential things that attributed to my formation as a priest.
The small group consisted of people of all ages, vocations and personalities. Each brought a different perspective as well as a unique voice to our study. Many times, we found ourselves wrestling with the interpretation and meaning of the text. It was a safe place where our trust in God and each other grew over the years. It was the first time I’d ever experienced this level of spiritual intimacy with what became true brothers and sisters in Christ.
In one specific year, during January, we decided to study Psalm 139. For the whole month, we looked at it verse by verse. Carefully, we unpacked its significance. The more we read it, the more curious we became. We learned about a creative God who took the time to design our very being; a loving God who carefully searches us and knows us; a determined and active God whose hand leads and guides us through the various seasons of our lives; a faithful God who is the light in the midst of our darkness; a loving God whose desire for us and whose presence with us has no bounds; and a true God whose grace accepts us just as we are.
Every January, as a new year begins, I read, study and meditate on this Psalm. What I have found is there is no greater way to start a year than by focusing on the true nature of God. It allows me to see myself as one created with intention, value, grace and love. Most importantly, I find it challenges me to look at others with the same eye that God sees me.
“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Your works are wonderful, I know it full well.”
Psalm 139:13, NIV
