Our Father in Heaven Watches Over Us

I'm sure all of us have felt abandoned by God at times when everything went sideways. But feelings are deceiving. The truth is that our Father always watches us.

Take heart in Psalms 33:18 and 19 (BBE) which reads, "See, the eye of the Lord is on those in whose hearts is the fear of him, on those whose hope is in his mercy; To keep their souls from death; and to keep them living in time of need."

And in reference to doing our alms and prayers in private, Jesus gave us a wonderful promise in Matthew 6:3 and 4 (BBE). "But when you give money, let not your left hand see what your right hand does: So that your giving may be in secret; and your Father, who sees in secret, will give you your reward."

Likewise, Christ said in Matthew 6:6 (BBE) that God hears our private prayers. "But when you make your prayer, go into your private room, and, shutting the door, say a prayer to your Father in secret, and your Father, who sees in secret, will give you your reward."

Being children of the King of Kings, those who persecute us are in for a bad time on Judgement Day. Matthew 18:10 (BBE) is a warning to those who abuse Christ's adopted siblings. "Let it not seem to you that one of these little ones is of no value; for I say to you that in heaven their angels see at all times the face of my Father in heaven."

Of course persecution will come our way but we have the Spirit to help us through. As Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 1:8 and 9 (BBE), "For it is our desire that you may not be without knowledge of our trouble which came on us in Asia, that the weight of it was very great, more than our power, so that it seemed that we had no hope even of life: Yes, we ourselves have had the answer of death in ourselves, so that our hope might not be in ourselves, but in God who is able to give life to the dead:"

Though our trials seem long, they're but a moment compared to eternity's bliss. As Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:17 and 18 (BBE), "For our present trouble, which is only for a short time, is working out for us a much greater weight of glory; While our minds are not on the things which are seen, but on the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are for a time; but the things which are not seen are eternal."

What a blessed hope we have. We aren't alone in this world but we have our Father to fall back on.

On Thursday, if Christ doesn't return before then, I hope to continue the theme of encouragement amid discouragement.