Last week, my sweet Alicia was battling headaches that were cutting into half her school days and on Friday, whatever the "bug" was, it won and she was in bed with high fever and feeling really bad. On Sunday afternoon, Amy noticed a lack of appetite and energy in Landon.(Those don't occur often in that boy!) :) She knew that he, also, was succumbing to the illness that had plagued his sister all week. As he lay on the couch, wrapped in his favorite blanket, he remarked to her- "I wish Daddy could come home and keep an eye on me."
Their continuing, flourishing, father-son relationship is a blessing to me. This MaMa teared up when Amy relayed that story to me and I knew he had heard that phrase many times before. I recalled a scene at the pond beside their house, probably when he was about two, when he was asserting his independence as I was holding onto his shirt as he was leaning forward to grab the frog on a rock in the water and in answer to his "Why don't you sit on the bench while I fish?" question, I replied "MaMa needs to keep an eye on you, Buddy."
As I pondered this story this week and praised God that they are both fully recovered, I recalled and read a Scripture in Ps 33:18- "Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear Him, upon them that hope in His mercy." In the last blog, I was blessed to remember that the Good Shepherd always has His eyes on His sheep. He knows your name, dear one; He sees where you are today, knows the cares and concerns that face you today. Your enemy would have you doubt that- he tempts us to think that God has forgotten us because at times we cry "How long, o LORD?" But, be encouraged today, believer! His eye is on you and the look is a comforting look to me. Landon, no doubt, sensed a comfort that Daddy and Mommy would bring by "keepin' an eye on him." as his little body was aching. I find tremendous comfort today that I'm not out of my Father's sight- not for one nanosecond. "The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and His ears are open unto their cry." Ps. 34:15
Praise God for His eyes of comfort and I love the story in Mark 6:45-52 where I see His eyes of care. The narrative tells us that Jesus gave a command to His disciples to get into a boat and head for their destination, Bethsaida. As they obeyed, He went to a mountain to pray and when night fell, the disciples were rowing their hearts out because the wind was contrary. They may have thought they were alone, maybe wondered why Jesus sent them on this path, maybe that He was still praying or maybe fallen asleep because it had been a busy day but note vs. 48-"HE SAW them toiling in rowing...". Caring eyes were watching them and maybe the delay was to accomplish some faith-building because here the Master comes, right on time, walking on the water, with this admonition-"Be of good cheer, it is I; be not afraid." His eyes of comfort and care should calm our spirits today, precious brother and sister in Christ. The tumultuous waves of life are under His feet! HALLELUJAH!!!
I believe that I see Jesus' eyes of compassion in Luke 22:61 (and you know the familiar story). Peter, following afar off, denies the Lord on the night of His trial or rather, the mockery of a trial. When the rooster crowed after the third denial, vs 61 says "And the Lord turned and looked upon Peter..." One might wonder why I wouldn't use a convicting eye here and I do believe that Peter was melted and moved to the core when Jesus looked at him. "He went out, and wept bitterly." But, I see in those eyes of our Lord, eyes that are minutes away from being blindfolded, struck by open palms and clenched fists, eyes that soon will fill with blood as thorns are crushed down into His precious brow- yes, I see eyes of compassion. Can we not see that as He say a few hours later-"Father, forgive them for they know not what they do."? And , for Peter who repented because he had failed miserably, when Jesus came out of the grave (PRAISE GOD!), the angel at the tomb told the women,"go tell the disciples, AND PETER.." . Am I speaking to one today who feels alienated because you have failed the Lord? Haven't we all? Isn't that why He died- because He knew we would? Have you run to Him and confessed that to Him? He waits, like the father of the son who left and squandered all he had. He longs for you to be back home. I believe, His eyes are looking in that direction right now. A broken and contrite heart, He will not turn away. On this subject of compassion, what does our temperature gauge read for those who desperately need it today? I heard a song yesterday from Casting Crowns called Does Anybody See Her? Compelling, no doubt, concerning a world wandering as pitiful sheep without a caring shepherd. They have one controlling their lives but he is a hireling who couldn't care less for their welfare. Picture the sheep in the brown, dry, barren yard poking his little head through the fence where the grass is green, the water is still, and the Shepherd has His eye on the little flock. We have good news for those desperate souls, which leads to these eyes, lastly-
Challenging eyes- 2 Chron. 16:9-"For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth to shew Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him." These eyes challenge me to step up to the plate, to resist mediocrity, to say "NO" to the status quo, the ho-hum trends of today; don't they do the same for you? He wants to show His strength in and through my life for His glory and I want to continue to play with the trinkets and trivialities of this world? May it never be- help me, Lord, I pray!
I pray that His eyes of comfort, care, compassion, and challenge have encouraged you, dear reader, today. I began with Landon wanting his Daddy home to "keep an eye on him" On Tuesday, he and Amy were on their way to get Alicia from school, when an out of control car careened into the side of their van . Jeff was at church and although he had bathed his family in prayer that morning, as he does every morning, his eyes were not on them. BUT their HEAVENLY FATHER'S were! They always are! "HE never sleeps, HE never slumbers, HE never tires of hearing our prayers. When we are weak, HE remains stronger, so rest in HIS love and cast all of your care upon HIM!" From a favorite cd by Dan Moen.
Looking up, yes I am!. Deborah
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