Are You Being Watched?

“No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.” (Psalm 33: 16-19 NIV)

Big armies. Strong warriors. Fast horses. All impressive. As an athlete, I admire strength, discipline, and muscle. God, however, looks elsewhere. Check out verse 18:

“But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love”

My oldest currently trains for a spot in the Navy’s special operations forces. Muscles, strength, and discipline abound. His training is top notch and if anyone is prepared for battle, it’s his group of guys. As thankful as I am for his training, my hope for him rests with God. God holds my son’s life regardless of the size of the enemy army, the battle conditions, or the weapons used.

The same holds true in the civilian world of Starbucks and soccer practice. Do any of these challenges ring true?

Workplace: the boss, competitors, the economy

Home: overbooked schedule, marriage maintenance, parenting

School: peer pressure, tests, friend issues

It’s easy to be overwhelmed by an outward show of strength.(My calendar/to-do list can paralyze me in seconds if I let it.) Yet, God makes a promise to those who fear Him, whose trust is in His unfailing love. God has their back. He delivers them and keeps them alive during famines of all kinds.

Where are you putting your hope? Your 401K? Your marriage? Your BFF?

Or are you growing respect for God? Are you building trust in His love? If you are, you’re being watched. You can count on it.

Questions:Kings, armies, horses—places ancient peoples put their hope. Where do people place their hope and trust today? (This varies for adults, teens, preteens, and kids. Take turns sharing.)

Talk through the things people place their hope in today. Discuss what would happen if each were to fail or fall through.

Is it hard to put God first, to fear Him as Scripture counsels? Why? Is it a busyness thing or a trust/faith issue?

What is God doing in verses 18-19? What is the purpose of His watchfulness?

How can this impact the rest of your day? Tomorrow?

Leave a Comment





Join Gayle

Subscribe to get my latest content by email.

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.

Something went wrong. Please check your entries and try again.

Recent Posts