SCRIPTURE: Proverbs 15
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good. [Proverbs 15:3] Death and Destruction lie open before the LORD– how much more the hearts of men! [Proverbs 15:11] Some of these proverbs highlight God’s perspective, what He sees, what He knows, and what He detests [see Proverbs 15: 8,9,26]. The all-knowing, all seeing, always present reality of God will either comfort or disturb you.
But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. [Matthew 6:6-8] To think that the Father sees, the Father knows, can be a great comfort. He is watching out for us, He is concerned about our real needs, He is eager and willing to help.
And when we choose foolish paths, He still sees, He still knows, and He still loves. Yes, He disciplines [Proverbs 15:10, 31-32], but it is the discipline of love. The reason God detests certain things is not because He is close-minded or harsh – He detests the paths that hurt us and others, that seem right to us but lead to ruin and misery.
Only in one sense can we say that the all-knowing, all-seeing, always present God is far away from us. The LORD is far from the wicked but he hears the prayer of the righteous. [Proverbs 15:29] Not far in presence, but far in personal approval and comfort. Those who choose wrong paths discover that God is not drawing near in the comforting sense, but standing back and lovingly warning us. He does not join us in our folly, though He does remain near. Jesus is God coming to us in our folly, but not joining us in our folly – rather, showing us the better way, calling us into that way.
Does the nearness of God comfort you, or does it make you uncomfortable. To know that He knows, He sees – I guess it depends what you’re thinking, or doing…
PRAYER:
Lord, right now I am glad that You know, You see! Help me to remember this when my walk begins to stray.
Psalm 139 being my favourite Psalm, the nearness of God and the fact that I can never get lost to the Spirit, that always comforts me.
The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom. It is the Lord God who gives man that wisdom so that he may walk with the living God in his daily walk. I need to be a prayerwalker in all I do and say. God hears the prayers of His people if they but walk in His way and trust and obey. Then the path of life will lead upwards and those that follow that pathway will be wise,for the Lord God is their Counsellor and Guide, giving them the very words to speak. Good timely words. Thank You Lord I needed that.
And when I continue to walk in that Light, I will keep a straight course for the path of the righteous is a highway. A highway! Imagine that!
Help me this day Lord to pursue righteousness. Help me this day to walk in Your Light. Help me this day to see Jesus and may those around me see Him in me. Help me to be a blessing.
Praise the Savior now and ever;
Praise Him, all beneath the skies;
Prostrate lying, suff’ring, dying
On the cross, a sacrifice.
Vict’ry gaining, life obtaining,
Now in glory He doth rise.
Man’s work faileth, Christ’s availeth;
He is all our righteousness;
He, our Savior, has forever
Set us free from dire distress.
Through His merit we inherit
Light and peace and happiness