Being Fully Known and Loved by God

Devotional

Day 1: Pray for Leaders and Unity in Our Nation

As followers of Jesus, we are called to pray for those in authority over us, regardless of our personal opinions or political leanings. This is a privilege and a responsibility, reminding us that our hope is not in political leaders or parties, but in Christ alone. When we pray for our leaders and our nation, we invite God’s wisdom, peace, and unity into our communities, trusting that He is ultimately in control. Let us approach times of decision and change with prayerful hearts, seeking God’s guidance and blessing for all. [37:02]

1 Timothy 2:1-2 (ESV)
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.

Reflection: Before you engage in any conversation or decision about leadership or politics today, will you pause and pray for those in authority and for unity in your community?

Day 2: God Knows You Completely

God’s knowledge of you is total—He knows your actions, your thoughts, your words before you speak them, and even the things you keep hidden from everyone else. This can feel intimidating, but it is also deeply comforting: you are never misunderstood or overlooked by God. He knows your struggles, your regrets, your intentions, and your heart, and He loves you fully in that knowledge. You don’t have to perform or explain yourself to Him; He already knows and still chooses you. [45:26]

Psalm 139:1-4 (ESV)
O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
You search out my path and my lying down
and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.

Reflection: What is one thing you’ve been afraid to bring to God because you thought He wouldn’t understand—can you trust Him with it today, knowing He already knows?

Day 3: God’s Love Is Unconditional and Present

God’s love for you is not based on a future, improved version of yourself; He loves you right now, in your brokenness and mess. While we may think God will only love us when we finally “get it together,” the truth is that Christ died for us while we were still sinners. God is not disappointed in you—He knew your flaws and failures before you were born, and He still chose you. His love is steadfast, not conditional on your performance or perfection. [50:31]

Romans 5:8 (ESV)
But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Reflection: In what area of your life are you waiting to “fix yourself” before coming to God? How can you receive His love for you as you are, today?

Day 4: Your True Identity Is Found in God’s Eyes

Your identity is not defined by your achievements, failures, appearance, or what others say about you. God knew you before you were born, set you apart, and sees your heart beyond all outward appearances. He looks past the masks and performances to the real you, and He calls you His own. When you root your identity in how God sees you, you find freedom from the pressure to measure up to the world’s standards. [53:15]

Jeremiah 1:5 (ESV)
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.

Reflection: What labels or expectations from others have you let define you? How can you begin to see yourself through God’s eyes instead?

Day 5: God Desires Relationship—Open Your Heart

Even though God already knows everything about you, He desires a real relationship with you. He invites you to open your heart, to be honest and vulnerable with Him—not for information, but for connection. Like a loving parent who already knows but waits for their child to come and share, God stands at the door and knocks, waiting for you to invite Him in. Don’t wait until you feel worthy; He already says you are. [58:39]

Revelation 3:20 (ESV)
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

Reflection: What is one area of your heart you’ve kept closed off from God? Will you open that door to Him today and invite Him into that space?

Sermon Summary

Today, we gathered as a community to celebrate the ongoing reality of Christ’s resurrection and to reflect on what it means to be truly known and loved by God. In a world full of busyness, differences, and uncertainty—especially in seasons like elections—it’s easy to forget where our true hope and unity lie. Our confidence is not in political leaders or parties, but in Jesus, our risen King. We are called to pray for our nation and its leaders, recognizing that our ultimate allegiance is to the kingdom of God.

We began a new series on identity, exploring the deep questions that often linger in our hearts: Who am I? What is my purpose? Am I truly loved? God knows the answers to all these questions, both the trivial and the profound. Psalm 139 reminds us that God knows every detail about us—our actions, our thoughts, our words before we even speak them. This all-knowing nature of God, His omniscience, can be both comforting and unsettling. He knows every failure, every regret, every hidden thought. Yet, in the midst of being fully known, we are also fully loved.

There is a profound comfort in realizing that we have never disappointed God. Disappointment requires surprise, and God is never surprised by us. He knew our flaws and failures before we were born, and still chose to love us and send Christ to die for us. God’s love is not reserved for some future, perfected version of ourselves; He loves us right now, in our brokenness and mess. Our identity is not found in our achievements, our failures, or what others say about us, but in who we are in God’s eyes.

God sees past the masks, the performances, and the outward appearances. He looks at the heart. Even though He already knows everything, He desires relationship with us. Like a parent who already knows what’s in the report card but waits for their child to share, God waits for us to open our hearts to Him. Prayer, confession, and vulnerability matter—not because God needs information, but because He wants relationship. The invitation is to stop pretending, stop performing, and start surrendering. Open your heart to the One who knows you completely and still calls you His own.

Key Takeaways

1. True unity and hope are found in Christ, not in political systems or leaders. As followers of Jesus, our allegiance is to the kingdom of God, and we are called to pray for our nation and its leaders, regardless of our differences. This perspective frees us from fear and division, anchoring us in the unchanging love of Christ. [38:26]
2. God’s omniscience means He knows every detail about us—our actions, thoughts, and even the words we have yet to speak. While this can be intimidating, it is also deeply comforting, because it means we are never misunderstood or overlooked by God. He knows our hearts better than we do ourselves. [45:26]
3. We have never disappointed God, because He is never surprised by us. Disappointment requires unmet expectations, but God knows our entire story from beginning to end. He chose us, loved us, and sent Christ for us, fully aware of our flaws and failures. [49:18]
4. God’s love is not conditional on our performance or future improvement. He loves us right now, in the midst of our struggles and brokenness. Our identity is not in our best or worst moments, but in being known and loved by God as we are. [50:31]
5. God desires relationship, not just information. Even though He already knows our hearts, He invites us to open up to Him in honesty and vulnerability. Prayer and confession are not for God’s sake, but for ours—to deepen our relationship with the One who knows us completely and still calls us His own. [56:49]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:45] - Announcements and Upcoming Events
[03:10] - Greeting and Community Connection
[04:30] - Reflecting on Easter and Christ’s Resurrection
[06:00] - Acknowledging a Busy Season
[07:30] - Praying for Our Nation and Leaders
[10:00] - Embracing Differences and Unity in Christ
[12:00] - Introduction to the Identity Series
[14:00] - Life’s Deep Questions and God’s Knowledge
[16:00] - God’s Omniscience: Psalm 139
[18:00] - The Comfort and Challenge of Being Fully Known
[20:00] - Never Disappointing God
[22:00] - God’s Unconditional Love and Our True Identity
[24:00] - God Looks at the Heart, Not Outward Appearance
[26:00] - Relationship Over Information: The Invitation to Open Our Hearts
[28:00] - Closing Prayer and Blessing

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Psalm 139:1-4 (NIV) — > You have searched me, Lord, and you know me.
> You know when I sit and when I rise;
> you perceive my thoughts from afar.
> You discern my going out and my lying down;
> you are familiar with all my ways.
> Before a word is on my tongue
> you, Lord, know it completely.

Romans 5:8 (NIV) — > But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV) — > But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Observation Questions

According to Psalm 139:1-4, what are some of the specific things God knows about us?
In Romans 5:8, when did Christ die for us—before or after we had it all together?
The sermon said, “Our confidence as followers of Jesus isn’t in a party. Our unity is not found in a ballot box, and our hope isn’t in a political leader. Our hope this morning is in Jesus, the risen Jesus.” What does this say about where our true unity and hope should be found? [[38:26]]
1 Samuel 16:7 says God looks at the heart. What does this mean about how God sees us compared to how people see us?

Interpretation Questions

The sermon mentioned that God’s omniscience can be both comforting and unsettling. Why might knowing that God sees every detail of our lives be both a comfort and a challenge? [[45:26]]
The pastor said, “You’ve never disappointed God. To be disappointed, someone has to expect one thing and then be let down when the opposite happens. But God is never surprised. He didn’t get his hopes up about you only to be crushed. He knows everything about you, and he still chose you.” How does this change the way we think about our failures and regrets? [[49:18]]
The sermon talked about how God’s love is not reserved for some future, perfected version of ourselves, but for us right now, in our brokenness. Why is it hard for us to believe that God loves us as we are? [[50:31]]
The pastor gave the example of a parent already knowing what’s in the report card but waiting for their child to share. What does this teach us about why God wants us to pray and confess, even though He already knows everything? [[56:49]]

Application Questions

The sermon encouraged us to pray for our nation and its leaders, even when we have differences. How can you practically pray for leaders you disagree with, and what might change in your heart if you do? [[38:26]]
The pastor said, “Let’s stop pretending. Let’s stop performing. And let’s start surrendering. Open your heart to the one who knows you better than you know yourself.” What is one area of your life where you feel tempted to hide or pretend? What would it look like to surrender that area to God this week? [[59:18]]
When you think about God knowing every thought, action, and word—even the ones you regret—do you feel more comforted or more unsettled? Why? How can you bring those feelings honestly to God in prayer? [[45:26]]
The sermon said, “God doesn’t love some future version of you. He loves you now.” Is there a part of you that feels you have to “get it together” before God will really love or use you? How can you remind yourself of God’s unconditional love this week? [[50:31]]
The pastor asked, “Where is your heart? Have you opened your heart to the Lord?” Take a moment to reflect: What is one thing you haven’t shared with God in prayer? What’s holding you back? [[57:49]]
The sermon talked about identity not being found in our achievements, failures, or what others say, but in who we are in God’s eyes. What is one way you can remind yourself of your true identity in Christ this week, especially when you feel defined by your successes or failures? [[52:09]]
The pastor encouraged us to be honest and vulnerable with God, not because He needs information, but because He wants relationship. What is one step you can take this week to be more honest with God in your prayers? [[56:49]]

Sermon Clips

God knows everything about everything and everyone. All across history, there has never been a moment when God was surprised, caught off guard, or unsure. Now, for some people, this is comforting, and for others, it's kind of terrifying. And if we're honest, we're probably somewhere in the middle of that. Because if God knows everything, that means he knows everything about me. Everything I've said, everything I've thought, everything I've clicked on, everything that I regret. [00:46:08] (45 seconds) Edit Clip

He knows if you're innocent. He knows if you're truly sorry. He knows what was really going on in your heart. And get this. He still loves you. He still loves you. You don't have to do it. You don't have to do it. You don't have to do it. Thank you. here's a truth that has changed how I see myself and ultimately how I view God. You've never disappointed God. [00:48:44] (35 seconds) Edit Clip

I want you to think about that for a second because you might be thinking, well, Luke, I don't know if I actually truly believe that or not. But to be disappointed, someone has to expect one thing and then be let down when the opposite happens. But God is never surprised. He didn't get his hopes up about you only to be crushed. He knows everything about you, and he still chose you. [00:49:05] (35 seconds) Edit Clip

Romans 5 and 8 says, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. He knew your failures and flaws in advance, and he still went to the cross. So yes, we've fallen. Yes, we've failed. But God's love was never conditional in the first place. God doesn't love some future version of you. [00:49:33] (37 seconds) Edit Clip

Some of us live like God will finally love us when... You know, we can fill in the blank with whatever that is. God will finally love me when I stop sinning. God will finally love me when I read my Bible every day. God will finally start to love me when I stop struggling with whatever it is that I'm struggling with. But here's the truth. God doesn't love some future version of you. He loves you now. [00:50:31] (39 seconds) Edit Clip

He loves you right here, right in your brokenness, right in the middle of your mess. On the cross, Jesus saw your sin, and he still died for you. He isn't mad at you. In fact, he is madly in love with you. This series is all about identity. And God knows your real identity. [00:51:22] (36 seconds) Edit Clip

Your identity is not in what you wear. It isn't in your social media. It isn't in your job title. It's not in your grades or the number of followers you have on social media. Your identity isn't your worst day. And your identity isn't your biggest accomplishment. Your identity is who you are in God's eyes. [00:51:51] (31 seconds) Edit Clip

They see clothes, they see skin, they see style, they see body type, they hear gossip and they form opinions, but not God. God, that's not how God operates. He sees past the filters. He sees past the performance. He sees past the masks. And He sees your heart. God sees your heart. Now here's the thing. Yes, He sees your heart, but He also wants your heart. Even though God knows, He still wants you to tell Him. [00:53:02] (55 seconds) Edit Clip

Don't wait until you feel worthy. Because here's the truth. You will never feel worthy. But God already says that you are. He already knows and he already loves. So can we make a deal this morning? Let's stop pretending. Let's stop performing. And let's start surrendering. Open your heart to the one who knows you better than you know yourself. [00:59:08] (45 seconds) Edit Clip

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