The God Who Knows Our Hearts - All The LORD is near Daily Devotionals for 2026

The heart-knowing God bore them witness.
Acts 15:8

The God Who Knows Our Hearts
Our God is "the heart-knowing God." The testimony of Scripture is very clear on this point. King David exhorted his son Solomon to serve the God of his father with a perfect heart, "for Jehovah searches all hearts, and discerns all the imaginations of the thoughts" (1 Chr. 28:9). Our God knows not just the actions, but also the motives and inner springs of man: "I Jehovah search the heart, I try the reins, even to give each one according to his ways" (Jer. 17:10). Again we see this characteristic of our God emphasized when choosing David as king. He said to Samuel, "Man looketh upon the outward appearance, but Jehovah looketh upon the heart" (1 Sam. 16:7).

The Lord Jesus, "knew what was in man" (Jn. 2:25). He once told a man that his sins were forgiven. The scribes were shocked by this statement of the Lord. But He, "seeing their thoughts," healed the man in their presence (Mt. 9:1-5). On another occasion, Simon the Pharisee had critical thoughts of Christ concerning a woman who was a sinner. But the Lord Jesus, answering Simon's unexpressed opinion, exposed Simon's own heart with a parable (Lk. 7:36-40). In our day, when the Holy Spirit makes intercession for us, He does so in accord with the purpose of God, "who searches the hearts" (Rom. 8:27). How blessed to belong to One who knows our deepest needs!

The disciples addressed Him as "Lord, knower of the hearts of all," when praying in the upper room (Acts 1:24). How wonderful to call upon the heart-knowing God, yet solemn as well, for, "all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account" (Heb. 4:13 nkjv). This consideration should cause us to walk softly and humbly before Him, counting on His wondrous grace revealed to us through Christ Jesus!

Brian Reynolds