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Omniscience of God

【God’s Omniscience】The guillemot is a small arctic sea bird that lives on the rocky cliffs of northern coastal regions. These birds flock together by the thousands in comparatively small areas. Because of the crowded conditions, hundreds of females lay their pear-shaped eggs side by side on a narrow ledge, in a long row. Since the eggs all look alike, it is incredible that a mother bird can identify those that belong to her. Yet studies show that she knows her own eggs so well that when even one is moved, she finds it and returns it to its original location.

Scripture tells us that God is also intimately acquainted with each of his children. He knows our every thought and emotion, every decision we must make and problem we are going through. Therefore, an understand of the full extent of God’s omniscience should both evoke praise and bring comfort to believers.

【God’s Omniscience】The story is told of an elderly grandfather who was very wealthy. Because he was going deaf, he decided to buy a hearing aid. Two weeks later he stopped at the store where he had bought it and told the manager he could now pick up conversation quite easily, even in the next room. “Your relatives must be happy to know that you can hear so much better,” beamed the delighted proprietor.

“Oh, I haven’t told them yet,” the man chuckled. “I’ve just been sitting around listening—and you know what? I’ve changed my will twice!”

God is not like a dear old grandfather who hears only when we speak clearly and directly to him. He always hears us. And his attitude toward us is not changed by what he hears, because we stand before him by grace. But if God were like that grandfather—and if his attitude toward us were changeable—how would your conversations of the past week have affected his attitude toward you?

【God’s Omniscience】Dr. James M. gray, former president of the Moody Bible Institute, was convalescing from a severe illness. His physician, thinking that a change of scenery might bring the relaxation his patient needed, advised him to take an ocean voyage. But just when arrangements for the journey were completed, Dr. Gray experienced an unexpected physical setback. He was greatly disappointed and began to wonder why the heavenly Father had allowed this new affliction to come. About a week later, he picked up a newspaper that carried on the front page the tragic account of a streamer that had sunk after striking a reef in St. John’s harbor. There were no survivors. When Gray read that his was the ship he would have taken, he realized how perfectly the Lord had directed his way. His temporary sickness had delivered him from certain death.