YOU ARE BEING WATCHED

While in a place of business recently I looked into the corner of the room and saw what appeared to be a little round video monitor. Although I had no intention of stealing anything, or compromising myself with some ludicrous activity, it still felt eerie. Did you know that at this very moment you are being watched? How does that make you feel—afraid, uncomfortable, possibly distressed? My momentary discomfort led me to remember an experience I had several years ago that gave me new revelation. It came as I was putting my youngest grandchild to bed. While placing a blanket over her I noticed something adjacent to the bed. My curiosity got the best of me so I asked my daughter what it was. To my surprise she informed me that it was a camera. She then told me to go to her bedroom and watch the small television screen. I was amazed as I stood there watching every little move and listening to every little sound the baby made. I thought this is wonderful. Then I remembered reading about someone else whose eyes are upon us. You may have read it too, “the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry.” I thought, just as I stand watching and ready to run to the aid of my little grandchild, God does the same in relation to us. I walked away thinking “wow” it feels good to be watched.

Looking At Our Problems

Problems, do you see them as emergencies, or as potential teachers? I think most people would agree they are a great source of stress in our lives. They come in many shapes, sizes, and degrees of seriousness, but in the words of Richard Carlson, they all have one thing in common: “They present us with something that we wish were different.” The more we struggle with them the more stress they cause us. However, I have found when we accept our problems as an inevitable part of life, when we look at them as a potential teacher we get a different perspective. Why not try thinking of your problems in a new way. Rather than pushing them away and resisting them, try embracing them. As you do ask yourself what valuable lesson these problems might be able to teach you, for they are life’s greatest teacher. Even with Christ every opportunity to experience the phenomenal came with the presentation of a problem. When we think about them in a different way and once we learn what we need to learn, they begin to go away. With this new insight we might just begin to see that they are a blessing rather than a burden.

God's Fingerprints

Recently my two granddaughters came for a visit. After they had gone home it was quite evident they had been in the house. Papers were scattered, and toys were left in plain site. But the most remarkable evidence of their presence came in the little fingerprints they left everywhere. You know it wasn’t the prints in the obvious places that impressed me. But those that were left in the obscure areas where I really did not even think they could reach or go. By this discovery I was reminded that everything has God’s fingerprints on it. It’s easy to see them in a beautiful sunrise, a snow-capped mountain or the smile of a healthy child, but what about those difficult situations in life? What about the times when the pain appears more evident than His presence; the storm appears more looming than the Spirit? Although they may not be obvious, God’s prints can be found in the bad as well as the good. There is never a time when he is not present and his hand is not reaching. If you look closely you will find that his fingers are meticulously working to assist you in all areas of your life. Why not look again; God’s fingerprints are everywhere.

Never Underestimate

One of our greatest weaknesses is the temptation to underestimate people. Just recently while watching the TV program “America’s Got Talent” I watched as a young man stepped to the microphone to perform. By his looks he seemed to be a misfit, but when he began to sing it was amazing. The judges were greatly surprised and admitted they had totally underestimated him. When we fall prey to this kind of behavior we often lose in the process. It reminds me of a story I read recently. A young boy enters a barber shop and the barber whispers to his customer, 'This is the dumbest kid in the world. Watch while I prove it to you.' The barber puts a dollar bill in one hand and two quarters in the other, then calls the boy over and asks , 'Which do you want, son?' The boy takes the quarters and leaves the dollar. 'What did I tell you?' said the barber. 'That kid never learns!' Later, when the customer leaves, he sees the same young boy coming out of the ice cream store & says; 'Hey, son! May I ask you a question? Why did you take the quarters instead of the dollar bill?' The boy licked his cone and replied 'Because the day I take the dollar, the game's over!' The barber had completely misread the young lad’s ability. Wasn’t that also the case when Samuel turned up at Jesse’s house to anoint a king to rule over Israel? He could not believe his eyes nor his ears when God said, “this is the one anoint him immediately.” In respect to looks David was young and ruddy, but God saw a man with an incredible heart. While we may not see giftedness initially, we can never underestimate the worth and ability of those who come before us. They just might be the answer to our prayers and the fulfillment of our dreams.

The Sound of Freedom

For the last two nights our neighborhood has been like a war zone. Fireworks have been lighting up the sky with the sound of thunder. It’s not hard to tolerate the noise when you know what you’re hearing is the celebration of freedom. It becomes even easier when you realize that in other parts of the world similar sounds can be heard, yet for another reason. Multitudes are bound by the tyranny of an abusive regime or dictator who has a thirst for power. They fight daily to be free and to enjoy just some of the privileges that we do in America. However, while liberty is a wonderful thing it is not without its problems. Give man liberty without restraint and he will find himself in a mess. Since men and women have the ability to choose, there is no guarantee that they will choose right. Many accept rebellion over respect, pleasure over principle, and enticement over integrity. In doing so they find themselves bound to sin with no way of escape. Because of this, it’s easy to make the mistake of believing that all liberty can be gained by citing the “Pledge of Allegiance”, or the “Declaration of Independence.” Yet nothing could be further from the truth. That’s why Jesus came to earth and died upon the cross, so that we might enjoy total deliverance. Knowing this truth is what liberates us so that we might celebrate daily with the sound of freedom.