Psalm 121:7-8 The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. (NIV)
The mindfulness of God is something that I have grown to really appreciate over the years. His constant presence has helped me on many occasions to overcome times of adversity, distress, and tragedy that I thought I would never be able to endure. It wasn’t just that God sustained me during those critical times; He embraced the situation I was in and walked with me through the pain, fear, and confusion. God’s empathy with my sickness and sorrow reassured me; His quiet presence strengthened me and gave me the hope to begin again.
Some people think that God watches over our lives to catch us out and add to our list of sins, so that on the Day of Reckoning God can fully indict us of our defiance, disobedience, and dalliance with sinful choices and deeds. That would make God capricious, a deity who delighted in tormenting our souls and overshadowing our lives with fear. I don’t see that in this scripture. In this text, God watching over us is like that of a parent who is both concerned and aware of what their child is experiencing. Rather than being punitive, God is protective. Instead of being vengeful, God is mindful, so He watches over us with concern and compassion, awareness and love.
I hope that this watchfulness of God will help you through your current experiences; I pray that Gods’ mindfulness will also give you the strength to overcome whatever you are presently enduring.
Point to ponder: Am I aware that God lovingly watches over me? Am I ready to receive His love and compassion?
Prayer: Lord God, You have given us life to experience Your light even in times of suffering and despair. Help us to reach out to You in the midst of what we are presently experiencing, in order to receive and be embraced by Your love. Amen.
Today’s image is one of John’s Pentecost drawings called “New Spirit.” You can view a larger version by clicking here.