God Reads Our Thoughts
God can certainly read our thoughts because He is omniscient which means He “knows all things” (1 John 3:20), the beginning from the end (Isaiah 46:9,10). “His understanding is infinite” (Psalm 147:5) and “inscrutable” (Isaiah 40:28). “You alone know the hearts of all the sons of men” (1 Kings 8:39; Acts 1:24). Thus, “All things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him” (Hebrews 4:13).
David said that before the thoughts have been formed into words, the Lord knows it, “O LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways” (Psalm 139:1-3).
The Lord not only reads our minds but “understands every intent of the thoughts” (1 Chronicles 28:9) and its secrets (Psalm 44:21). While on earth, Jesus was also omniscience. He read the hearts of people (Mark 12:15; Luke 6:8; 9:47; 11:17; John 4:16–19; 8:7–9) and thus was able to help, convict and guide all to the truth. No man can hide his thoughts and motives from Jesus.
Therefore, only the Lord, who can read our thoughts, is in a position to Judge His children. At the day of Judgement, He will judge people by their thoughts and actions (Romans 2:16). “For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing” (Ecclesiastes 12:14). He can do that because, He keeps an exact record of every secret thing in our lives (Matthew 10:26; Luke 8:17; 1 Corinthians 4:5), so He will judge fairly (Isaiah 11:4).
Therefore, it should be our prayer always, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23–24). The good news is that the Lord, who reads our inmost desires, understands our weaknesses and promises to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
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In His service,
BibleAsk Team
