1. To watch over-to look or observe carefully or attentively; to guard; keep a watchful eye on; to be on the lookout or alert; keep up on or informed about
2. To nourish
3. To protect
For the next three days I simply want to comment on each one as it relates to God and mothers made in His image. Today, I want to focus on "watching over" and what God's word says about how God watches over us.
"Hear the word of the Lord, O nations; proclaim it in distant coastlands: 'He who scattered Israel will gather them and will WATCH OVER HIS FLOCK LIKE A SHEPHERD." Jeremiah 31:10
"The Lord WATCHES OVER the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish." Psalm 1:6
"I lift up my eyes to the hills-
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip-
He who WATCHES OVER YOU will not slumber;
indeed, he who WATCHES OVER Isreal
will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord WATCHES OVER YOU-
The Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm-
He will WATCH OVER YOUR LIFE;
The Lord will WATCH OVER YOUR COMING AND GOING
both now and forevermore."
Psalm 121
(sidenote: This passage could present some problems for people who have been harmed. The subnotes in my Bible say this, "Theological reflection must take all perspectives into view. God is eternally aware of the situation of each of us. Job and the writers of the Psalms of lament offered a different perspective. They complained of God's silence and asked how long He would wait to help. They felt lonely and rejected.")
My encouragement today is to first of all believe that God does see you in your situation and He IS watching over you. He is very aware of your past , present, and future. He is called the "Overseer of your soul" 1 Peter 2:25. Matthew 6:8 says "Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him." I don't fully understand how this all works, but I believe it. Last week I was at McDonalds and there was this woman that really stood out to me. As I noticed her, in my heart I cried out, "Jesus." She looked like she had had a hard life. I thought, "I'm going to see this woman again." So yesterday, in what seemed to be a random situation I ended up at Woods Lake school and there was that woman, seemingly struggling and in need. GOD'S HEART IS TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE IN NEED. ALL THROUGHOUT SCRIPTURE HIS HEART IS BEING POURED FORTH AS ONE THAT DESPERATELY LOVES AND HURTS FOR HIS CHILDREN ON THIS EARTH WHO SUFFER. In fact, one of my favorite verses says,
"He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. IS THAT NOT WHAT IT MEANS TO KNOW ME? DECLARES THE LORD."
Jeremiah 22:16
So when I saw that woman again, after having just seen her a week earlier and crying out to Jesus for her ,I knew and believed in my heart that God is watching over her. He sees that woman. He sees you.
May I also encourage us as moms, moms- to -be, or grandmas, to "watch over" our children carefully, observing them and being alert to the condition of their heart and what their heart needs. May we keep up on what is going on in their lives and be informed about what they need at the stage they are in. Blessings on you as you watch over your chidren or whoever is placed under your care. If you are done in your role as "mother", enjoy the truth that your Father in Heaven is watching over you.............God says it. I believe it! Blessings from Bombadil. Kristy Joy Link
