God is Watchful!

September 8, 2010

Our home has a large three panel window that looks out over the majority of our backyard. When Sophie, our golden retriever puppy, is in the backyard, I sometimes stand and watch her from the window. At times, I laugh at her nose tracing the ground going from one random point to the next. Other times, I watch her pick up speed chasing the bunny who occasionally ventures inside the fence. Still other times, I have to knock on the window reminding her to stop digging or eating something she shouldn’t. But, all the time, I am watching her because I care.

I like to imagine that God has a picture window that he watches me from up in heaven. David described God watching him from His throne in heaven in Psalm 11.

Psalm 11
I trust in the LORD for protection.
So why do you say to me,
“Fly like a bird to the mountains for safety!
The wicked are stringing their bows
and fitting their arrows on the bowstrings.
They shoot from the shadows
at those whose hearts are right.
The foundations of law and order have collapsed.
What can the righteous do?”

But the LORD is in his holy Temple;
the LORD still rules from heaven.
He watches everyone closely,
examining every person on earth.
The LORD examines both the righteous and the wicked.
He hates those who love violence.
He will rain down blazing coals and burning sulfur on the wicked,
punishing them with scorching winds.
For the righteous LORD loves justice.
The virtuous will see his face. (NLT)

God is watchful!

God is constantly watching you and me. God is watching even as I type these words. He is watching you at work or at home. He is watching at school. He watches you as you eat, sleep, shower, drive, sing, dance, talk, interact, and work. He loves to watch you enjoy a family dinner at the table together. He cries with you when He sees you being comforted by a friend. He laughs along with you as you have never laughed before. Yet, He also watches as you tell a little white lie thinking it won’t make a difference. He sees when you treat your spouse without any love or respect. He watches as you refuse an opportunity to share about Him with a friend who asks a simple question.

To some of you, the idea of God as a watchful God strikes the deepest chord of fear in your heart. To others of you, you revel in the idea that God is so in love with you that He wants to watch every move you make.

For those of you who are struck with fear, ask yourself why? Why am I so afraid to imagine God watching me, examining my every move? Deep down, you may know what must change. But, the change will always be for the better. God is watchful because He cares. Just as I care about the health and well being of Sophie, God cares about your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well being. He wants you to live a healthy purposeful life. God is not watching to catch you; He is watching to love you. If you think of His watchful eyes in the context of love, you have no reason to fear.