May 18, 2020 -- Psalm 119:168 -- God's eye is on you: does that worry or assure you?
/I keep your precepts and testimonies,
for all my ways are before you.
Psalm 119:168 English Standard Version
The fact that all our thoughts and actions are laid bare before the LORD is an incentive for us to keep His rules and laws. We do not want to offend Him as His eye is always on us. So this is the testimony of Christians. We who know the mercy of God look to Him as our Master and with our eyes ever on Him, we want to live for Him in such a way that our lives and actions and thoughts meet His approval.
The fact that all our thoughts are actions are laid bare before Him is also an expression of assurance. All our ways are before Him—He knows us at our worst, most sinful and cynical—and knowing we could not save ourselves He provided for us the way of salvation. Though He is inexpressibly holy, though His excellences and perfections are such that we He cannot tolerate sin of any kind, He has provided the way for us to be saved. He has given us life and named us as His sons and daughters. This way of salvation is Jesus Christ—what extravagance.
Imagine you are traveling in a desert. Unexpectedly there is a brief storm. Then you see a scorpion that happens to be caught up in the raging waters that have swept it into its eddying grasp and you want to save this scorpion. Understand this: the scorpion will not thank you. Even as you are saving it, it will sting you. Even if you save it, it will sting you. It cannot comprehend what you are doing.
In the same way, we sting God with our sins. Our old nature continues to rear up again and again. Yet God the Merciful does not pull back His hand. He continues in His purposeful rescue of us. His Son endures everything, up to and including the cross, but sets this joy before Him—knowing the sinner will be transformed and be covered by His righteousness—His right living. Even more Jesus knows the Father will be glorified.
Scorpion-hearted though we were, when we recognize this great, saving love of God something happens. Either we resent God and question His right to command our living, and we will continue to be people who are constantly stinging at Him and refusing to yield to Him or the other response is we thank Him. Those who thank God the Father of all Kindness and Love realize we still sting Him at the most inopportune times and realizing our wickedness continually confess our sins to Him, hating our errors and ways. Urgently and humbly we pray, help us to keep all Your rules and Your precepts, Your Words and Your law because of this realization which is dawning over our souls—all our ways are before You and yet You love us. Great are You, LORD, Triune and Blessed, Holy and True.
In the Bible one of the prophets asks: “Who is a God like You, what deity can compare to You? You wipe our slate clear of guilt and past sins!” LORD God Almighty—You alone are God and You are merciful. Thank You for Your saving love. Spirit of the Living God, help us to see our sins in the light of the law so that we know our great need for Jesus the Savior. Forgive us. May we grow in the glorious assurance that You, Faithful God, see us, know us at our worst, and work out Your salvation in us. Spirit of God let the joy of our salvation animate our ever-deepening commitment to obey Jesus and so bring delight to the heart of our Father in heaven. Amen.
