The Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. —1 Chronicles 28:9
My friend’s husband was in the last stages of dementia. In his first introduction to the nurse who was assigned to care for him, he reached out for her arm and stopped her. He said he wanted to introduce her to his best friend—one who loved him deeply.
Since no one else was in the hall, the nurse thought he was delusional. But as it turned out he was speaking of Jesus. She was deeply touched but had to hurry on to care for another patient. When she returned, the darkness had closed in again and the man was no longer lucid.
Even though this man had descended into the darkness of dementia, he knew that the Lord was his best Friend. God dwells in the fathomless depth that is our soul. He can pierce the darkest mind and assure us of His tender, loving care. Indeed, the darkness shall not hide us from Him (Ps. 139:12).
We do not know what the future holds for us or those we love. We too may descend into the darkness of mental illness, Alzheimer’s, or dementia as we age. But even there the Lord’s hand will lead us and His right hand will hold us tight (v.10). We cannot get away from His love and personal care. —David Roper
God knows each winding way I take,
And every sorrow, pain, and ache;
And me He never will forsake—
He knows and loves His own. —Bosch
And every sorrow, pain, and ache;
And me He never will forsake—
He knows and loves His own. —Bosch
Jesus loves me. This I know.
Insight
Today’s passage, a standard text on the doctrine of God’s omnipresence—God is everywhere all the time—is also one of deep comfort. These verses offer assurance that no matter where we go, even if we are trying to run from God (see v.7), we cannot separate ourselves from Him. This is the same idea that Paul elaborates on in his letter to the church in Rome: “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:38-39). These verses not only point out that nothing can separate us from His presence, they also beautifully state that nothing can keep us from God’s love.
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