It’s a phrase meant to underscore the limits of our knowledge. We use it to describe our lack of understanding. It’s a way of admitting that we just don’t know everything. Having reached the end of our abilities to comprehend, we roll our eyes heavenward and say with varying measures of exasperation, confusion, and befuddlement, “God knows.” “God knows why that happened.” “God knows what I was thinking.” “God knows why she did that.” I suppose in some way it’s a statement of confidence: if we don’t know, at least God does. “God knows how we’re going to get out of this.” “God knows I didn’t mean for it to come out that way.” There’s some comfort in that, isn’t there? “God knows.” I don’t know. But God does.

Indeed, the power of God to know all things is one of the bedrock values of Christian…