For the ways of man are
before the eyes of the LORD, and He ponders all his paths.
Proverbs 5:21
Proverbs 5:21
God as our Father not only watches to
grace us with His presence and to guide us in His ways ... but also to guard us
as we go.
The Psalmist assures us that God is
constantly surveying all of our ways.
His watching us is not just a glancing notice but a pondering which
speaks of “rolling flat." God is
ready to roll flat any obstacle that stands between Him and His children. He is prepared to move us out of harms
way.
I am not suggesting that as
Christians nothing bad will happen to our loved ones or us. I cannot explain why some face horrible
plights in life and some die violent deaths while others are spared. I cannot explain why some die of cancer and
other diseases while some are physically healed. But in striving to answer our own questions
we must not become like Elisha's servant whose eyes were closed to what God was
doing around them to protect them. We
must trust that God knows what He is doing.
The Psalmist sensed the assurance of
God's guard over him.
Psalms 121:1-4 I will lift up my eyes to the hills; from whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
Psalms 121:1-4 I will lift up my eyes to the hills; from whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
God
never sleeps! How often do we as parents
sleep never knowing what our children are doing? God never quits watching our every step. Like the parents who walk before and behind
the toddlers to catch them as they stumble, so is God in our lives to guard over
us. The Psalmist associates God's
watchful guard with "He who keeps you." Keep means to protect; to
attend to; to retain in one's control.
Jesus
prayed, "I
do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil
one. (John 17:15) His eyes are upon us to keep and protect us from the evil one who comes
to steal, kill and destroy us. Find the
stronghold of God's watchful protection in your day of attack and rest in it. God is watching us to guard us!
Lots
of times my son has trouble going to sleep at night. I am sympathetic to this because I can
remember having some sleepless nights as a child myself. I always pray for him and assure him that he is
safe in the arms of almighty God. I like
to remind him of the verse Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do
not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you
go. Joshua 1:9 We actually know this verse as
a song we learned at church a few years ago so we usually sing it. I love the promise this verse holds. He will protect us and He is with us
everywhere!
The
stronghold of God's watchfulness is not to be taken for granted. We must not arrogantly presume that we can
cast ourselves off the pinnacle of the temple and expect God to spare our
lives. Jesus says, "You shall not tempt the LORD your
God."
The stronghold of God is a place of
rest where the burden of what is casting us down is lifted from us. The stronghold of God's watchfulness should
bring comfort, assurance and honesty into our relationship with Him. Good News!
God is watching us!
Scripture to
Claim:
The LORD will guard
your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever. Psalms
121:8
