Psalm 33:13-14 “From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind; from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth….”
[The Lord gazes across the universe, over billions of light years, past thousands of galaxies down to the tiny Milky Way, then on to one minuscule speck under one arm–the earth–where He is able to observe every single person, to see everything each does. Such all-encompassing, infinite capacity, such penetrating power, such total focus is amazing. No one is hidden from His sight.
What a grief it must be to you, Lord to see your creatures continually choosing to sin, to hurt others, to dishonor your name, to constantly rebel. Yet, in your great love and mercy you keep on looking down , loving and working among us.
Psalm 33:15 “he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.”
You, Lord, don’t just observe, you think about what we are doing, evaluating and weighing each decision and the motives behind it. This should strike fear in the hearts of rebels, and it should give encouragement to us who are your children to live according to your revealed will in your Word., to be stern and consistent in our dealing with known sin in our lives.
We can tell you all, confess all, knowing that we can be totally honest with you without condemnation, for you already know all. You are “good and ready to forgive and abundant in mercy and truth to all who call on you” (Ps. 86:35). You are beyond comprehension in your powers and goodness, grace and forgiveness, worthy of our worship and trust!]
[You, as our Maker, Lord, then go on to empower your children to live according to what is right. “By his divine power he has given us all we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him…” (2 Pet. 1:3)].
However, for those who are not your children–they who reject your offer of mercy, forgiveness and adoption, who rely on their “good works” to save them–for them the outcome is very different. As it says in Rev 20:13,15 “each person was judged according to what he had done…If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
Our own works bring not salvation, but condemnation. However, there is that wonderful “IF” in this sentence “if our names are…written in the book of life.” And praise God that, for all people this is a possibility, and for believers in Christ, this is a reality: our names ARE written in that book of life by the Lamb of God Himself!
Glory be to you, O mighty and loving Lord, the all-seeing God, for you are worthy to be honored, obeyed, lifted up and praised throughout this day. May I do so wholeheartedly, continually, persistently, for this is the purpose of my life, to glorify you in whatever comes.
Photo by Eidy Bambang-Sunaryo on Unsplash
