Sabbath Saturday- May 8, 2021
“Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who wait for His faithfulness” Psalm 33:18
Worship Devo with Aimie Morgan
Dive Deeper
The God who sees... my failures.
Growing up in the church, I remember learning the song, “O Be Careful Little Eyes What You See”. Some of you may recognize it, but basically each verse walks through different body parts, eyes, ears, hands, etc., warning the listener to be careful how they use them. And each verse ends with “For the Father up above, is looking down in love.”
I remember as a kid, listening to teachings that repeated that same message and hearing the underlying warning, “don’t mess up, God’s watching you.” Whether that was intended or not, my little brain interpreted it that way. I felt like God was just watching me, waiting to catch me in the act of messing up- this eternal Judge looking down on me from above.
As an adult, I carried that fear of God into my relationship with Him. For a long time, I had this burdensome feeling that God was looking down on me, ready to discipline me if I screwed up. The eye of God on my life felt heavy, burdensome, and even oppressive. Maybe you can relate. Maybe you, like I did, have an image of God that feels heavy and burdensome.
The God who sees... Me!
But as I’ve grown in my walk with Jesus, I’ve started to understand this view of Him isn’t accurate in the least! Yes, He does see my mistakes and disciplines me as needed. But not the way I assumed before. Instead, what I’ve seen as I draw close to my Heavenly Father, is a God of love, of patience, and of redemption. A God who wants to help me be everything He created me to be. And even more, I’ve seen a God who sees me… like really sees me!
Deep down we all want to be seen. We want to be valued and loved, even in our worst moments. We want to be appreciated for who we are, despite our shortcomings and failures. We want someone who will love us unconditionally. We want to be known- truly, deeply known.
The more I’ve allowed God to reveal His heart to me… through His word, through prayer, through worship, through His people… the more the lies I believed before have started falling away. And in their place, I’m seeing a God who not only sees me, but one who loves me unconditionally.
The God who loves me!
See, here is the amazing part: God is love. It’s His very nature. It’s not just something He does. It’s what He is. The only reason we have any concept or understanding of love is because we have learned it from Him.
And because He IS love, His love for me is not subject to change. It’s 100% fully dependent on His own character, not on my wins or failures. And we’re told in scripture that God does not change. So His love for me never changes either. It’s eternal because God is eternal. I can’t earn it and I can’t lose it. It’s as constant and as established as He is. It never fails and it never leaves.
The God who sees... His child!
With that understanding of God’s love for me in place, I see His eye on me as good and beautiful. Instead of a condemning eye, I feel His love, His protection, His care. I understand what the Psalmist writes in this verse. I feel it.
God’s eyes on me is for my good, for my care, and because I’m His child. Having children of my own, I get it. My eyes rest on my children because I’m looking out for them. I’m watching for when they fall so I can hurry to their side. I’m watching them overcome obstacles and triumph in the face of adversity. And when they do need my correcting hand, my eyes are on them so that I see the whole picture, so that I see their heart and can respond in the right way.
See, that’s what a good parent does. They look so they can truly see. And where I fail all the time as a parent, our Father God never fails. His gaze is always perfect, loving, and life giving.
So today, embrace the gaze of God on you. Rest in the assurance that your Father, Who loves you more than you can imagine, is watching you, caring for you, and protecting you. He applauds your triumphs and smiles as you overcome obstacles. He laughs when you laugh and is with you when you cry. He is close to you when you feel alone and has compassion on you when you struggle.
His eyes are on you, because He loves you. And that, my friend, is an amazing thing!!!
Crystal Garnett
ACF Digital Discipleship Team Lead
End in Prayer
Lord,
Thank You for loving me enough to keep your eyes on me! Thank You that Your love is not dependent on me earning it or being enough. It is fully dependent on Your perfect character alone! Thank You that I can live in that truth today and the freedom that it brings. Help me to turn to You, my loving Father, and rest in Your perfect love.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen