Nothing Hidden (#178 of 365+)

“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)


This verse creates fear in the hearts of those who sin. There’s something natural about wanting to keep sin hidden. Take Adam and Eve for instance. They tried to cover their nakedness with leaves and they hid when God came looking for them. Look at the news and you’ll find plenty of stories of criminals, adulterers, and the like hiding their sin until they were caught red-handed or were somehow exposed to broad daylight. Deep down inside, we all have that same blushing mechanism. Sin makes us feel ashamed. We’ll do everything within our strength to make sure the truth about us doesn’t come out. But God still sees.

When I studied Edgar Allan Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart in middle school my English teacher said the young man murdered the old man because his vulture eye made him feel like someone was always watching him. Obviously he was trying to hide something. But even after he cleaned up the crime scene and hid the body he heard the deafening sound of the old man’s heart pounding away beneath the floorboards. The young man’s conscience was what did him in.

Everyone is born with a conscience. If it’s nurtured during childhood and adolescence when we become adults we’ll have that inner aversion to dishonest or criminal behavior. But we’ll still have our pet sins and we’ll ignore those specific whispers of our conscience. When we become believers, the blood of Christ covers all our sin and we enter into a living, active, real-time relationship with God. Our conscience receives an overhaul by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit and for the first time in our lives we’re given the power to resist sin. The Holy Spirit works constantly to keep us from getting tangled up in those lures. We’re meant to experience a quality of life better than anything this dead world could offer (John 10:10).

Today’s verse is truly inspired because as Joni said there’s a “flipside” to it. God doesn’t only see the bad things we do. He also sees the good we do that seems to go unnoticed. Whispered prayers behind closed doors, the times I bite my lip to avoid saying something harmful, acts of kindness even when I’m exhausted… he sees them all. I should seize every opportunity to do good deeds for an audience of One (or should I say “Three”). The proper response to God’s grace isn’t more hidden sin but rather good deeds done in private and expressions of love and praise done out in the open (Psalm 134:2). After all, the Lord God Almighty took notice of insignificant me. That’s cause for gratitude and celebration!

Joni closed her devotional with these words: “Fear the Lord; it’s the beginning of wisdom. But then do the wise thing: fall in love afresh with your Savior, your High Priest, who has been tested in every way like you. Live life under his gaze, knowing beyond all doubt that it’s a look of love.”

“You are the God who sees me” (Genesis 16:13)

Lord, thank you for lovingly watching over all the days of my life. Keep me from the sin that so easily ensnares and help me live victoriously for you. You know what fills my heart, you know all the hopes and dreams that may never come to pass. Give me beauty for ashes and wrap me in your indescribable peace. I put my faith in you. Amen.