by Pastor Douglas Brauner

Never Beyond God’s Love

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine.”
Psalm 33:17-18 English Standard Version

“Behold” is one of those churchy words that we don’t use in our conversations, but we might as well. When we get excited about sharing something with another person we say somthing like, “Now get this!” or “Look!” That’s what the psalmist says when he writes, “Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him.” He grabs us by the shoulder, looks us in the eye and says, “Now get this, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him.”

This is serious business.

Unfortunately, some modern English translations of the Bible no longer translate the Hebrew or Greek words for “behold” and in doing so, passages like this one lose their punch.

You see, it is important that you and I know that the eye of our God is on us, those who have been brought to the foot of the cross and stand in awe of this God who loves us. This phrase is as much a promise as it is a statement. God’s eye is on you.

His eye is on you when your naughty.

His eye is on you when your nice.

His eye is on you and will not condemn you because of Jesus. There is something comforting to know that through the mercy of Christ, when we are at our worst, he will not take his eye off of us. This is not Santa Claus ready to give us a lump of coal when we’re naughty. This is the God who says that we are never beyond his redemptive love in Jesus. You are never beyond the redemptive love of God.

“The angel said to the shepherds, “Stop being afraid! Get this! I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people.”
Luke 2:10

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado