God Sees

Entering Into God’s Presence
Knowing God Through His Works & Ways (VERBS)

To Study and Ponder

• God understands. This includes his ability to experience, observe, analyze and evaluate. See the repeated phrase “God saw that it was good” in Genesis 1:4,10,12,18,21,25,31.

• God’s seeing moves him to love us. His seeing is not disengaged/disinterested observation, but leads him to caring involvement in our lives.

  - God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them. Ex.2:25 I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering. So I have come down to rescue .... Ex.3:7-8a

  - I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. I will heal you.. 2Kings 20:5 (God to Hezekiah) - Promises that he will watch over people: Ps.32:8, Ps.121, 127:1, 145:20, 146:9; Prov.15:3,

  22:12; Je.31:10; Jacob-Ge 28:15; elders/builders-Ezra 5:5; nations-Ps.66:7;

• God’s seeing also describes his intimate care for us. He’s aware of us; he’s focused on us - an amazing thought! He’s not unaware; he’s not indifferent. This is the central idea behind the story of Hagar (Gen. 16:1-16). Amidst her pain she encounters God’s kindness and declares, “You are the God who sees me.” (Gen. 16:13). For this same reason we are encouraged to cast our worries upon him for we are not invisible to him and he truly cares for us. (I Peter 5:7)

• As God’s people we should be spending time gazing at HIM, looking into His eyes. The Hebrew & Greek words for ‘presence’ both involve God’s eyes being on us, His face towards us. From the Garden of Eden, through the pillars of cloud & fire, the Ark, Jesus, to the Holy Spirit in us, and for eternity, God’s intention has always been that we live in His watchful, loving presence. (Deut.4:37, Ex.33:14-16, Is.7:14, John 14:16-17, Revelation 21:3, 22:4)

• Nothing is hidden from God –Hebrews 4:13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. - Man could not hide from God: ...the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees. Then the Lord God called to

  the man, “Where are you?” Genesis 3:8
  - The history of the kings of Judah and Israel tells how each did either good or evil “in the

  eyes of the Lord.” No sin can be kept secret, nor is any righteous act overlooked by God.
  - For God watches how people live; he sees everything they do. Job 34:21
  - God alone understands the way to wisdom; he knows where it can be found, for he looks

  throughout the whole earth and sees everything under the heavens. Job 28:23-24

• His seeing is purposeful:-

  - He is looking for those who will love him whole-heartedly –2Ch.16:9 The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.

  - He is looking for those who will collaborate with him in accomplishing his purposes on earth. “I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.” Ez.22:30

• God made some amazing heavenly creatures with many eyes! Ezekiel 1:18; Rev 4:6,8; 5:6

• We should also be asking him to help us see with his eyes, aware that he sees things as they

  really are.

• In the story of the prodigal son (Luke 11:15-22) shows us God’s father heart. After the younger son squanders his inheritance from the father in wild living he ends up feeding pigs. When he comes to his senses and and begins the journey back home, hoping his father will hire him, he has no idea that his father had been up on the road watching & longing for him to return. God is watching for the return of his children.

Memory/Meditation
Lower Grades: The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose

hearts are fully committed to him. 2 Chronicles16:9 (NLT)
The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever. Psalm 121:8 (NLT)

Middle Grades: For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two- edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Hebrews 4:12-13 (NLT)

The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. Do not be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.” Psalm32:8-9(NLT)

Upper Grades: The Lord looks down from heaven and sees the whole human race. From his throne he observes all who live on the earth. He made their hearts, so he understands everything they do. Psalm 33:13-15 (NLT)

“God alone understands the way to wisdom; he knows where it can be found,
for he looks throughout the whole earth and sees everything under the heavens.
He decided how hard the winds should blow and how much rain should fall.
He made the laws for the rain and laid out a path for the lightning.
Then he saw wisdom and evaluated it. He set it in place and examined it thoroughly.
And this is what he says to all humanity: ‘The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.’” Job 28:23-28 (NLT)