Pastor's Comments on Upper Room Daily Devotional 7/25/08 Darilyn's devotional today was a wonderful surprise for me when I saw her Scripture from Psalm 139.  I preached on this Psalm last Sunday because when I looked at all the lectionary readings for that day, the Psalm reached out and grabbed my heart.  My sermon title was "God is Everywhere."  We cannot escape his presence and my days of wanting to do that are now over.  I don't want to get away from him anymore.  It is a comforting joy to know positively that he stays with me through thick and thin.   There was a time when I did not want to think about God knowing all the bad thoughts in my head.  Now, however, I agree with the Psalmist who wrote this beautiful piece of Scripture and expresses my thoughts precisely in the last 2 verses: (23) "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. (24) Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life" (New Living Translation).   I went from being a sinful recluse in the "Valley of the shadow of death" to the life of a repentant sinner living joyously in the brilliant light of God's eternal love.   I love you all and pray that sometime today you will thank God he knows you better than you know yourself.  I also pray that he will bless you and keep you in his infinite love and amazing grace.