In preparing to write this I watched a video of Ray Stevens song, “Santa Claus Is Watching You,” with that humorous line, “he’s everywhere, he’s everywhere.”
Well, I’m pretty sure that’s not true about good ole Saint Nick, but we know that God is everywhere (there’s a big word for it) and that He sees and knows everything (there’s another big word for that one as well). Now if we think of God as if he were Ray’s Santa, then that can be a scary proposition.
Sometimes parents even pull this one out to help control their children’s behavior. Unfortunately, that can lead those children to a misunderstanding of God and His character.
It’s true that God does notice our sin and rebellion against Him. He doesn’t turn a blind eye and look the other way when we choose to do wrong. But, it’s also wrong to characterize Him as the great judge in the sky who is always looking for people who do wrong so that He can punish them.
Psalm 139 puts a balance to God’s character when it comes to seeing us.
On the one hand, there is nowhere that we can go to escape the One who searches for us and knows us. But, on the other He knows everything about us because He created us and loves us. The psalmist says that the knowledge of this is “too wonderful for me.” He concludes this section of the psalm with these words:
“How precious also are Your thoughts for me, God! How vast is the sum of them!” Psalm 139:17 NASB
This morning I was reading in Genesis 22 about Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac.
I knew that this was the source of one of the names of God: Jehovah-Jireh. And, many of us know this name as God Who Provides. In fact, there is a song, “Jehovah Jireh, My Provider.”
So, now I’m reading the story and get to the part where Isaac notices the wood, the knife, and the fire, but that there is no lamb for the sacrifice. At this point, Abraham answers “God will provide for Himself the lamb.” Then I see the footnote: literally “see.” OK, maybe we get to the important word later, so I keep reading. I read about Abraham being stopped by an angel of the Lord and him seeing the ram caught by its horns in the thicket. This ram becomes the sacrifice and Abraham names the place – ah, here it is – “The LORD Will Provide.” Oops, footnote again: literally “the LORD will see.”
Next I look it up and true enough, the word that we transliterate as ‘jireh’ is basically the word “see.” However, there’s not the sense of God as the distant one who just looks at us, but the sense that He sees as One who can and will act on our behalf.
There is a lot that we can unpack from this one chapter. But today, this was the biggest thing that struck me: God sees and cares.
In August, my work as a full-time minister of music came to an end along with the security that it provided. Since then I’ve been honored to lead the congregational music worship each Sunday morning at a local church while I ply my hand at using the gifts and skills God has given me to both seek to be an encouragement and inspiration to others and to provide for my family’s needs. It’s different, it’s challenging, it’s exciting, it’s scary.
With the COVID-19 pandemic, I’m pretty sure that many, if not most, of you have been impacted in ways that have challenged the way you are used to doing things. Perhaps it’s caused unexpected changes in your life. The Isaac of our way of doing things has been tied and laid on the altar.
But, God sees! He knows. He cares. His plans for us are beyond our understanding. His ways and thoughts rise above what our brains can conceive.
Oh, yes, we need to be careful not to sin because God can see us all the time. However, the more important lesson and impact is that God love us – so much that He willingly made His Only Son the sacrifice for our sin. If He would do that, will He not daily care for us, providing that which we need, when we need it?
As I look back, God has been faithfully good to me.
So is the fact that God can see us a matter of concern or a matter of calm?
By faith, I say, “calm.” Why? God. Sees. Me.
1 Be not dismayed whate’er betide,
God will take care of you;
Beneath his wings of love abide,
God will take care of you.
2 Through days of toil when heart doth fail,
God will take care of you;
When dangers fierce your path assail,
God will take care of you.
3 No matter what may be the test,
God will take care of you;
Lean, weary one, upon his breast,
God will take care of you.
Refrain:
God will take care of you,
through ev’ry day, o’er all the way;
He will take care of you,
God will take care of you.
“God Will Take Care of You” by Civilla D. Martin
Blessings,
Richard
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