Does God See Us? 

Is he looking out for us? 

    Welcome back to the 80’s.

    Another week and another deep dive into the music of my childhood and my biblical and spiritual questions. This week I tackle the question, “Does God see us, is he looking out for us?” Let’s be honest there’s no better song from the 1980’s about “spying” than the song I chose this week.

    The song “Every Breath You Take” was written by Sting and performed by the band The Police. There are so many interviews with Sting about the meaning and context of this song. But to sum it up, here are some of Sting’s thoughts about the song:

1. He wrote the song while he was in the middle of his first marriage falling apart and the start of a new relationship with the person that is now his second wife – and yes, these relationships overlapped. He was torn in emotion and dedication and this song, if you look at it lyrically, can be seen from those two separate points in his life.

2. He knows the song is sinister (stalker like) but didn’t think about it like that when he wrote it. He feels uneasy when people tell him that they danced at their wedding to it. Lol – because as he puts it “It is not a love song”. It is song about wanting to be seen by one person and not wanting to be seen by another.

    But for our reference and spiritual points, we will look at this song from two points of view, just like last week.  The entire song (minus the bridge) we will say is God’s point of view and the bridge is from our human point of view.

Here’s the song’s lyrics

Song: “Every Breath You Take” by the Police (Lyrics by Sting) – Year 1983

Every breath you take

And every move you make

Every bond you break

Every step you take

I’ll be watching you

Every single day

And every word you say

Every game you play

Every night you stay

I’ll be watching you

Oh, can’t you see

You belong to me?

How my poor heart aches

With every step you take

Every move you make

And every vow you break

Every smile you fake

Every claim you stake

I’ll be watching you

 

BRIDGE

Since you’ve been gone, I’ve been lost without a trace

I dream at night, I can only see your face

I look around, but it’s you I can’t replace

I feel so cold and I long for your embrace

I keep crying baby, baby please

 

Oh can’t you see

You belong to me

How my poor heart aches

With every step you take

Every move you make

And every vow you break

Every smile you fake

Every claim you stake

I’ll be watching you

Every move you make

Every step you take

I’ll be watching you

I’ll be watching

 

    Growing up, if my mama ever wanted to scare me into acting “right”, she’d either say “Wait until Tommy get’s home (my stepfather)” or if she really wanted me to squirm “You know Jesus can see you right now”.  That thought stuck in my head always. Whenever I would do something that bothered my conscience, I would think to myself “Jesus is watching”. However, that little voice stopped being heard between the years of 16 through 22.  The thing is, I know, as well as you, that God sees ALL. He knows ALL.

    I think for most of us, we only associated God’s watchful eye with our bad deeds.  The time we yelled at the cashier, the time we engaged in pre-marital relations, the time we stole the mascara from the drugstore, the time we lusted over George Clooney in that movie, etc. God’s watches those things with the same (I mean way better) love that a parent has when they see their child doing something wrong.  As a parent, I have witnessed my child do things that sting me. She has talked to me in a way that is hurtful. She has not always lived her life in line with Jesus. BUT I LOVE HER – NO MATTER WHAT. And that is how we must remind ourselves that God sees us. He sees us with loving, graceful eyes. Do our actions hurt him – YES. Does he love us anyway – YES. Does he still make room for us in heaven – YES (that’s why Jesus was sacrificed – so God could still look at us with love, favor, and grace).

    Keep in mind the next time you yell at a driver that cuts you off, that God is watching you, then forgive yourself and ask for forgiveness. Because God watches all our actions, including: the time you let the woman go in front of you at the store, the time you gave your last $5.00 to a homeless person, the time you spoke gracefully to an irate person – and calmed them down, the time you turned the other cheek and refused to go low. God sees our good things too. He celebrates these things in heaven.  He is our biggest cheerleader. God uses these “good deeds” to be the answer to someone else’s needs.  

    Even if we take out the “us” factor, God must watch us. Whether you know this or not, you are living your life on a gigantic “chess board” called Spiritual Warfare. There is a very active battle going on daily in our lives. Evil isn’t just a word; it is an actual reality. We are living in a world that is fallen, and at the present time, Satan has “dominion” over the world. I don’t mean that he has the total control, because God rules over all, sees all and if you’ve read the bible, he WINS ALL. But for the time being, God has allowed Satan to live in the world. There are demonic spirits and heavenly spirits that work daily to either tempt you to evil and sin or to keep you from evil and sin.  So, as pieces on the chess board, we are watched daily.

    This week’s song, in the lyrics I have chosen to associate with God’s perspective, is for lack of a better word “stalkerish”. Think about these words – from God’s point of view. “Oh, can’t you see, you belong to me, how my poor heart aches, with every step you take, every move you make, and every vow you break, every smile you fake, every claim you stake, I’ll be watching you, every move you make, every step you take, I’ll be watching you.”  We belong to God. God wants nothing more than for us to be with him. When we sin, we cause him heart ache. We break vows, we present our fake self to the world (think social media), and we make false claims, we lie. God sees all things.

    Now the bridge of the song, I have chosen to associate with mankind. Think about these words – from our point of view, a view that is longing to be close to Jesus. “Since you’ve been gone, I’ve been lost without a trace, I dream at night, I can only see your face, I look around, but it’s you I can’t replace, I feel so cold and I long for your embrace, I cry out Jesus please.” I cannot speak for you; I can only speak for myself; I have been here. I have been lost. I have been seeking. I have been in depths of the valley of the shadows of death where the only hope was JESUS. I have cried out Jesus please help me.

    Does God see us, is he looking out for us? Absolutely without a doubt – YES! Yes, he does, yes, he can, yes he will always look on us and look out for us. Even when you are about to drown in whatever is weighing you down, know that God is watching, he may be testing you, trying to get you to cry out “God help me, I can’t do this on my own”. He is always there, and that knowledge is what I have held on to these past few years of constant struggle. I am passed the place of “Why me” and am currently living in a moment of blessed grace. I accept that I may be tested, and that if God tests me, I know that he has great willed expectation and purpose for me.

    So, the next time you do something that is ungraceful, pause - - and look to the sky and smile. Say “my bad, I am so sorry, God please remind me to live with as much grace as I can and remind me that you are always graceful to me.”

    Next week, I will tackle the question, “Fruitful, what is it, what does it mean and how am I to be fruitful”.

    Have a wonderful and blessed week!

 

April 

 

Video of Song (Youtube)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMOGaugKpzs

 

Look at this clip from the Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers  - it is the Eye of Sauron. It reminds me of the watchful eye and the battle for our soul.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlsIby_ezNk

 

Verses to go to – when you need reassurance that God is watching you and watching over you.

Genesis 28:15 “I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

Psalm 32:8 “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”

Psalm 121:8 “The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”

Proverbs 15:3 “The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.”

Matthew 6:4 “So that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

Hebrews 4:13 “And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”

Using Words!

 Does God hear us? 

     Join me over the next ten weeks, as I do a deep dive of tying my childhood songs to my daily spiritual questions and needs. I am a true believer that everything written, sung, performed can glorify God, if we let it.

    This week I ponder the question, “does God hear us”?

    This week’s flashback song is “Words” by Missing Persons

              Do you hear me

              Do you care

              Do you hear me

              Do you care

              My lips are moving and the sound’s coming out

              The words are audible, but I have my doubts

              That you realize what has been said

              You look at me as if you’re in a daze

              It’s like the feeling at the end of the page            

              When you realize you don’t know what you just read

              What are words for when no one listens anymore

              What are words for when no one listens

              What are words for when no one listens it’s no use talkin’ at all

              I might as well go up and talk to a wall

              ‘cause all the words are having no effect at all

              It’s a funny thing, am I all alone

              Something has to happen to change the direction

              What little filters through is giving you the wrong impression

              It’s a sorry state, I say to myself

              What are words for when no one listens anymore

              What are words for when no one listens

              What are words for when no one listens it’s no use talkin’ at all

              Do you hear me

              Do you care

              Do you hear me

              Do you care

              Let me get by

              Over your dead body

              Hope to see you soon

              When will I know

              Doors three feet wide with no locks open

              Walking always backwards in the faces of strangers

              Time could be my friend

              But it’s less than nowhere now

              Less than nowhere now

              Less than nowhere now

              Now

     As you can see by the lyrics of this up-tempo (new wave/dance) song from the 80’s, this person is seeking communication from someone and the words she/he is receiving are confusing, misleading and lead to nothing. This song I can see from two different perspectives.

    Perspective One:  a sole seeking words from Jesus and not being able to hear a response. To be completely honest, I think this is most believers on most days. We ask and ask, talk and pray and often times we hear nothing.

    I remember laying in bed one night, reading my bible looking for a word to calm my troubled mind. I was so weak and, in such discomfort, (during one of my chemo cycles), I just wanted a word to let me know it was all going to be good.  I said (out loud) “God just give me a word.”  I closed my eyes, flipped open the bible and pointed to a scripture. I opened my eyes and read “Give thanks to God”.  That was my word from God, give thanks.  I will admit I was a bit offended that in my pain, God was asking me to praise him. I let the word sit in my head and then I melted it down to my heart and I gave thanks to God.

    Sometimes we ask God for things, and we expect to see or hear that exact thing from God. That is not how God works. He doesn’t and has never done things on our terms, everything is done by his will and for his glory.

    Perspective Two: God also is waiting to hear from us. In the verse “I might as well go up and talk to a wall, ‘cause all the words are having no effect at all, It’s a funny thing, am I all alone, Something has to happen to change the direction, What little filters through is giving you the wrong impression,” I can see God sending us messages to all day, every day. They are in forms we may not recognize, songs, signs, license plates, a stranger walking by, he will use anything.  But we, as humans are very thick in the head. We ignore things, we tunnel vison our lives to focus only on what we deem to be important (phones, computers, tv, etc.).  And if we are only getting our “daily God word” from limited sources, or misleading sources, we may very well be getting a limited, bewildering impression of God.

    If you listen to some preachers, you may believe you can go outside scream out loud (pray) that you need a new car and expect one to be in your garage.  Yes, some spiritual leaders have twisted the word of God to be like some sort of “Santa Clause”.  When those people go through something bad, they have nothing firm to hold on to.  After all, Santa does not bring disease, he brings gifts and happiness. Therefore they will eventually spend  a lot of time angry and confused because they did not get what they thought they were promised. 

    So, WHAT ARE WORDS FOR IF NO ONE LISTENS?

    Truthfully, I seek daily the word of God.  Sometimes my exterior distractions prevent me from receiving the true words. I have to read, read again, listen to it via audio word, write about it, research it – all of that just to get the true word of God.

    God never said we will not suffer. He never said we would not go through trials. He knows we have questions and that is why he gave us his word and his promises. He promises us, in his words and through the sacrifice and resurrection of his son Jesus, that our troubles and pains will all end one day when we are reunited with him in Heaven. And for some of you that may need to hear this - he tells us don't be vengeful, do not hate, for true justice and vengeance belongs to the Lord. He will right the wrongs of this world - ONE DAY!

    If you don’t listen to the word of God, you can’t expect to receive the blessings of God. The bible is not just an overwhelming large book of names you can’t pronounce and words that you need a dictionary to understand. The bible is God’s book of love and promise to us.  Just so you understand how important God believes his word is and how he sees it as a key to our lives, think about the following:

1. The ten commandments were given to Moses 3 times. That’s right God so wanted us to know them he gave them to us 3 times. He orally gave them to Moses and Moses shared them with his people. Then Moses goes up to the holy mountain and God (THAT’S RIGHT GOD) cuts stone and carves out the commandments on stone tablets and gives them to Moses to set inside the Arc of the Covenant. Moses then drops and breaks them – and God at this point wants to basically wipe away mankind. Moses begs for forgiveness and God has him carve out the stone and etch in the commandments. So that is THREE times that God gives his words to his people. So, he obviously wanted them written down and studied.

2. God’s words are not for God; they are for us. God loves us so much that he willed man to write his words down for us to have for generations.

3. Jesus read and studied the scrolls (word of God) and emphasized how important the actual words of God were and are.

4. If you study the bible, you will come to understand that most of the 12 disciples of Jesus were “most likely” not very literate (or I’ll say they didn’t have much education to write). Most of the writers were scribes or assistants (Luke to Paul, Mark to Peter, etc.). Now, educationally speaking, Paul was a learned person, as he was studying to be a religious leader. Jesus used Paul’s “gifts” to spread his WORDS!!!! I am positive that if we had a complete history of those that were persecuting Jesus’ followers, we would find MANY – yet Jesus used the one that had the ability to read, write and TEACH!

    To sum up, yes God can hear you. God wants you to hear him. Use your words to speak to him daily. Use your quiet time to hear him directly. He wants a relationship with you. He wants to talk with you.

    Next week, I’ll tackle the question “Does he See me?”  

    Check out a mission that is close to my heart that provides critical spiritual guidance to women. I am so happy to be a part of this ministry:

Vessels for God

https://www.vesselsforgod.com/

 

This week’s links:

Song – “Words” by Missing Persons 1982

https://genius.com/Missing-persons-words-lyrics

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IasCZL072fQ

 

Understanding the words of God

https://voices.lifeway.com/bible-theology/8-ways-to-better-understand-the-bible-when-it-seems-too-confusing/

https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/explore-the-bible/how-to-understand-the-bible-21-simple-methods-for-a-deeper-understanding.html

 

Have a blessed week everyone,

April