Omniscient
“Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?”
John 4:29 NLT
Omniscient: knowing everything.
E V E R Y T H I N G
God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, the Trinity is Omniscient.
He knows everything, about everyone and every existing thing.
That thought could be daunting if you really think about it.
Someone knowing all my past and present:
thoughts
secrets
daydreams
feelings
For some, that thought makes you shudder because we often attach shame to parts of our life we keep hidden away. We often work hard to keep these things hidden away because we are uncertain of what the consequences could be if they were exposed.
In the story of the woman at the well, we see the consequence of her life exposed by Jesus. In John 4, we meet a woman living in shame. She arrived at the well, mid-day, when it was the hottest and least likely time to run into someone else.
Jesus was there.
He requests water.
She questions Him.
He offers her living water.
She thinks Jesus is offering to provide natural water.
Then Jesus begins to expose.
Note: To expose (though a triggering word to many) simply means to make it visible by uncovering it.
Jesus exposes her present and her past.
We only get to read part of the conversation, but this woman hears it all.
All her past and present:
thoughts
secrets
daydreams
feelings
Now, this story could have gone so many ways, but it takes the most unexpected turn.
The woman who walked in shame because of her past and present is filled with freedom when exposed by Jesus.
Filled with Freedom.
Not shame.
This freedom fills this woman in such a way that she runs to tell everyone about the Man who exposed it all.
To understand this woman’s reaction, we must look at what happened right before she was filled with freedom.
After Jesus exposes this woman, He begins to expose Himself.
He begins to uncover and reveal intimate details about Himself.
“I have come to change it all.
I have come to break cultural norms.
I have come to bring freedom to your people too.
I AM the Messiah.” (paraphrasing)
At this point in the book of John, no one else has heard Jesus flat out say this. She is the first.
Jesus’ “exposing” is not one-way, it is two-way.
Jesus not only exposes the woman at the well, but He exposes Himself.
Why?
Because when exposing occurs both ways there is an opportunity for true intimacy & relationship.
This is the heart of The Omniscient:
For you to be known fully
For you to fully know the Father
Some of y’all really need to hear this. So read it out loud. I dare you.
The Father’s heart is never to bring you shame, but to bring you freedom. The Father’s heart is to provide you with a safe place to be intimate. In this intimacy, The Father’s heart is to know you and for you to know Him because He desires to make you whole.
What if we allowed The Omniscient the space and time to expose?
He would uncover what needs to be made visible.
His heart for us would be uncovered and made visible to us.
Freedom can be found there.
This is why David prayed boldly:
“God, I invite your searching gaze into my heart.
Examine me through and through;
find out everything that may be hidden within me.
Put me to the test and sift through all my anxious cares.
See if there is any path of pain I’m walking on,
and lead me back to your glorious, everlasting ways—
the path that brings me back to you.” Ps. 139: 23-24 TPT
Know me Lord and allow me to know You.
Where can we start?
Begin by praying BOLD prayers like “Search me God”.
Redefine exposure. Exposure should no longer be equated with shame, but freedom.
Praise Jesus every time He exposes something in you and something about Him because He is making you whole.
Encourage others when they are exposed because their exposure means there is an opportunity for Christ to make them whole too.
Delight in the Heart of the Father. As He exposes more of Himself to you, take it in and enjoy the benefits of being son or daughter.
What freedom we can find in The Omniscient.
Take time today to encounter Him.
Everyone will know it once you have; because knowing The Omniscient makes you run and tell.
I hope to see you running.
Until Next Time,
We Are Ecclesia
For more on shame, you can read about my personal freedom journey here.
