Author's Note: Every day on the YWAP Fast Jan. 6-26, 2020 we’ll write about our experience as we respond to what God plants on our hearts during our extended time with Him.. Eventually the story will be chronicled into a book. “But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also.” Matthew 6:33 AMP
DOES GOD LOOK OVER YOUR SHOULDER?
The heaviness begins slowly as a sick feeling in your gut. The guilt moves up your chest until it saddles itself on your shoulders as a heavy weight. It happens to everyone and it even happens to the folks who are "holier-than-thou." On second thought maybe not those folks. If your conscience has been flattened by hubris (pride,) guilt may be something you're no longer familiar with. How does guilt get in our guts?
It usually waits until after we've done or said something out of character that's not in line with God's character. Then the conviction of the Holy Spirit plants some nauseousness in our guts to make us queasy and uncomfortable. Why does God wait until after we're done to let us know about our errant ways? He sees what we do, why doesn't He stop us? Simple answer - He din't make us as puppets and He gave us a free will to do as we please.
Repentance is a process that includes admitting what we did, showing remorse and changing our habits so our character doesn't fall the same way again. We may also have to apologize or make restitution if our mistake was costly. There's a cost to bad character to ourselves and those who watch us. They may do as we do.
We often pray for God to be out front and lead us. We pray for Him to watch our backs and protect us. Is it possible that we fall into a bad habit of wanting God in front of us and behind us, but not looking over our shoulders Maybe we'd prefer He stays out of our everyday personal business? It's a foolish question for most folks to ask, Does God Look Over Your Shoulder?" He sees everything we do and He knows everything we think. Hebrews 4:13 (AMP) “And not a creature exists that is concealed from His sight, but all things are open and exposed, and revealed to the eyes of Him with whom we have to give account.”
I was studying the Greek word for hypocrite this morning. "Hypokritēs is pronounced, hü-po-krē-tā's and the meaning given in the Blue Letter Bible's Outline of Biblical Usage is, "one who answers, an interpreter, an actor, stage player, a dissembler, pretender, hypocrite. I can follow most of that, but I have to confess i didn't know what a "dissembler" was. Here's the meaning from The Free Dictionary, "dissemble - To disguise or conceal one's real nature, motives, or feelings behind a false appearance." Young people especially, are very good at spotting dissemblers!
So it's easy to know that God is watching us, but did you ever stop to wonder whose eyes He's using to look over our shoulders? My Christian faith tells me to look for Jesus in the eyes of everyone I meet. It only stands to reason that I should expect those eyes to be looking over my shoulders at everything I do. Sometimes doing the right thing is like shoveling snow. It's hard work moving heavy snow while keeping a proper posture without hurting your back. After awhile, you're in a hurry to get done and your thoughts are no longer on proper posture. Soon your back starts to ache. Life gets busy and when we're in a hurry or very tired, we don't always make the right decisions. When we're wrong, the best thing we can do is admit it immediately. Any wavering on our parts can make a young person use our mistakes as permission to make their own. The eyes of God and the eyes of young people are always upon us.
DAY EIGHTEEN WORD
Proverbs 5:21-23 (AMP)
“For the ways of man are directly before the eyes of the Lord,
And He carefully watches all of his paths [all of his comings and goings].
The iniquities done by a wicked man will trap him,
And he will be held with the cords of his sin.
He will die for lack of instruction (discipline),
And in the greatness of his foolishness he will go astray and be lost.”
Romans 8:27 (ICB)
“God can see what is in people’s hearts.
And he knows what is in the mind of the Spirit,
because the Spirit speaks to God for his people in the way that God wants.”
Genesis 28:15 (AMP)
“Behold, I am with you and will keep [careful watch over you and guard]
you wherever you may go, and I will bring you back to this [promised] land;
for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
DAY EIGHTEEN PRAYER
Thank You God for always watching over us. You don't approve of everything we do but you always accept us back when we admit we blew it. You know it's hard work to be human and another bad action is always just around the corner. Help us to get better at being role models, especially for the kids looking over our shoulders. Amen.
DAY EIGHTEEN DEEP THOUGHTS
It usually waits until after we've done or said something out of character that's not in line with God's character. Then the conviction of the Holy Spirit plants some nauseousness in our guts to make us queasy and uncomfortable. Why does God wait until after we're done to let us know about our errant ways? He sees what we do, why doesn't He stop us? Simple answer - He din't make us as puppets and He gave us a free will to do as we please.
Repentance is a process that includes admitting what we did, showing remorse and changing our habits so our character doesn't fall the same way again. We may also have to apologize or make restitution if our mistake was costly. There's a cost to bad character to ourselves and those who watch us. They may do as we do.
We often pray for God to be out front and lead us. We pray for Him to watch our backs and protect us. Is it possible that we fall into a bad habit of wanting God in front of us and behind us, but not looking over our shoulders Maybe we'd prefer He stays out of our everyday personal business? It's a foolish question for most folks to ask, Does God Look Over Your Shoulder?" He sees everything we do and He knows everything we think. Hebrews 4:13 (AMP) “And not a creature exists that is concealed from His sight, but all things are open and exposed, and revealed to the eyes of Him with whom we have to give account.”
I was studying the Greek word for hypocrite this morning. "Hypokritēs is pronounced, hü-po-krē-tā's and the meaning given in the Blue Letter Bible's Outline of Biblical Usage is, "one who answers, an interpreter, an actor, stage player, a dissembler, pretender, hypocrite. I can follow most of that, but I have to confess i didn't know what a "dissembler" was. Here's the meaning from The Free Dictionary, "dissemble - To disguise or conceal one's real nature, motives, or feelings behind a false appearance." Young people especially, are very good at spotting dissemblers!
So it's easy to know that God is watching us, but did you ever stop to wonder whose eyes He's using to look over our shoulders? My Christian faith tells me to look for Jesus in the eyes of everyone I meet. It only stands to reason that I should expect those eyes to be looking over my shoulders at everything I do. Sometimes doing the right thing is like shoveling snow. It's hard work moving heavy snow while keeping a proper posture without hurting your back. After awhile, you're in a hurry to get done and your thoughts are no longer on proper posture. Soon your back starts to ache. Life gets busy and when we're in a hurry or very tired, we don't always make the right decisions. When we're wrong, the best thing we can do is admit it immediately. Any wavering on our parts can make a young person use our mistakes as permission to make their own. The eyes of God and the eyes of young people are always upon us.
DAY EIGHTEEN WORD
Proverbs 5:21-23 (AMP)
“For the ways of man are directly before the eyes of the Lord,
And He carefully watches all of his paths [all of his comings and goings].
The iniquities done by a wicked man will trap him,
And he will be held with the cords of his sin.
He will die for lack of instruction (discipline),
And in the greatness of his foolishness he will go astray and be lost.”
Romans 8:27 (ICB)
“God can see what is in people’s hearts.
And he knows what is in the mind of the Spirit,
because the Spirit speaks to God for his people in the way that God wants.”
Genesis 28:15 (AMP)
“Behold, I am with you and will keep [careful watch over you and guard]
you wherever you may go, and I will bring you back to this [promised] land;
for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
DAY EIGHTEEN PRAYER
Thank You God for always watching over us. You don't approve of everything we do but you always accept us back when we admit we blew it. You know it's hard work to be human and another bad action is always just around the corner. Help us to get better at being role models, especially for the kids looking over our shoulders. Amen.
DAY EIGHTEEN DEEP THOUGHTS
- Before we judge anybody as a hypocrite we need to make sure there isn't any skeletons in our own closets.
- Speak your word - Do Your Word.
- All people need accountability partners who will be honest in being faithful to wound a friend when needed. It's better to be a wounded warrior than a hypocrite on the way to hell.
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