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A Watchful Eye



          
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"He who watches over you will not slumber" (Psalm 121:3)


The Hubble Space Telescope has taken a number of photos of the Helix Nebula that caught the curiosity of the scientists. Some astronomers describe it as “a trillion-mile-long tunnel of glowing gases.” At its center is a dying star that has ejected dust and gas stretching toward its outer rim. Remarkable photos of it look like the blue iris of a human eye complete with eyelids. Because of this, some have called it the “Eye of God.”


It t is a reminder of an eternal eye that constantly watches over us. God keeps a watchful eye on every child of God.  od’s care is constant and unfailing. Describing God’s continual concern for us, the psalmist declares, “He who keeps you will not slumber” (Ps. 121:3).  In order to step in timely for help, one has to watch constantly.  Only God can be a constant help because He never sleeps. What we need is help when we need it. In time of need. Timely help. Many a times, we help when on our schedule.  When it is convenient for me I can help out.  God’s help is sure and timely.  We can go to sleep and be at rest, because is awake all night. 


God's eyes never get tired or sleepy

Giraffes have the shortest sleep cycle of any mammal. They sleep only between 10 minutes and 2 hours in a 24-hour period and average just 1.9 hours of sleep per day. Seemingly always awake, the giraffe has nothing much in common with most humans in that regard. For giraffes, it’s not a sleep disorder that keeps them awake. It’s just the way God has made them. If you think 2 hours a day is not much sleep, consider this fact about the Creator of our tall animal friends: Our heavenly Father never sleeps.


There is story from WWII, the Germans were bombing London all night, every night. After one terrible attack, the people of London began to search through the rubble looking for the dead and the injured. After a while, all had been accounted for but one old grandmother, a Mrs. Smith. They searched everywhere for her and finally someone found her in her bedroom, asleep in her bed. They were shocked and asked her, "Mrs. Smith, how could you sleep with all those bombs dropping all around?" Her answer is priceless! She said, "Well, the Bible says that 'He who keeps Israel never slumbers nor sleeps.' I decided there was no use in both of us staying up, so I just went to sleep and left it in the Lord's hands."  There are number of Psalms that sings about this watchful protection of God in many Psalms he wrote. "The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry." (Psalm 33:18). "The Lord watches over those who fear him." (Psalm 34:15).


God's eye protects us

God’s eye never needs a vision check.  We have eyes that need periodic check ups.  Our eyes can go wrong.  Or when they are not able to see, God’s eye is our protection. When our eyes fail God’s eye will guide us. You dont need to do anything.  Recently I was watching TV, and a preacher came on and said “Buy my book  I will tell you "How To Activate God's Covenant Of Safety And Protection" in my book. This is not to say bad about someone, but do you activate anything from God? Is it like a credit card you get in the mail? You call an 800 number to activate? God has already blessed and he activated his right from the beginning of your life.


Corrie Ten Boom, the dutch woman who helped save by hiding  a lot Jews in her home from Holocaust and the author of the book, “Hiding Place”  says, "If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within, you’ll be depressed. But if you look at Christ, you’ll be at rest." It all depends on where you’ve got your eyes. If we look for help from the mountains of this earth, We fret. We’re afraid. We can’t sleep. We shift the burden from God’s strong shoulders on to our frail ones. At times like this we need to remind ourselves that God is always on the alert. 


God's eye guides us.

"I will guide you with my loving eye on you." (Psalm 32:8). A preacher by named Chuck Swindoll says, “The beautiful thing about this adventure of faith journey is that we can count on God never to lead us astray."  On May 15, 2011,  our son Timmy was to go to Metz in France. He has never travelled internationally by himself. He was going ther to spend one semester in a college campus. Last minute plane was canceled due to engine trouble. They rescheduled it for the next morning.  He was to go to Frankfurt where he would catch a bus that The school has arranged a bus to pick him up. Now his bus would leave, his luggage won’t arrive.  He called from Atlanta airport. I thought he was already in New York waiting for the connecting flight.  We started praying. We were about to leave to pick him up. All of a sudden he heard his name being called on the speaker. On reporting to the gate he was told that there was one seat left in another plane and it was on a different airline. Immediately I told him to take it and forget his luggage!! He called from Newyork that his luggage was also transferred on time.    He said his name was the only name called.  God's eye will guide us when we are lost or stranded. 


God’s eye will preserve our life

 “The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.”  (Psalm 121: 7,8)


God’s eye saw the  baby of Hagar in the desert, about to die of thirst, and provided a spring to quench his thirst. God’s eye saw the Elijah prophet in the desert about to give up his life and sent a bird to feed him. God’s Eye saw a rebellious struggling Jonah in the depth of the sea and sent a big fish to rescue him. God saw the young boys thrown into the furnace and sent His son to be their friend in the fire. God sent his angel to Daniel in the lion’s den and shut the mouth of the lions. God saw his son Jesus tested and tried in the wilderness, and sent his angels to minister to Jesus in the wilderness. God sent his angels to minister to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. God sent his angels to Paul and Silas in prison to open the gates and break them loose. Regardless of where you are, God’s eye watches over you. People may sleep, electronics may fail. God’s care does not fail. God’s vision never fails. 


God Preserves His Children from destruction. "The Lord watches over all who love him." (Psalm 145:20). In the book 'Finding Your Way' , Gary LaFerla tells an amazing story, gleaned from the records of the United States Naval Institute following the Second World War. The USS Astoria engaged the Japanese during the battle for Savo Island before any other ships from the U.S. naval fleet arrived. During the crucial night of the battle, August 8, the Naval ship Astoria was badly damaged and sank. “About 0200 AM a young Midwesterner, Signalman 3rd Class Elgin Staples, was swept overboard. Wounded in both legs by shrapnel and semi-shock, he was kept afloat by a narrow lifebelt that he managed to activate with a simple trigger mechanism.  "At around 0600 AM, a passing ship tried to save Staples.  The effort failed at the last minute, and Staples, still wearing the same lifebelt, found himself back in the water. It was lunchtime. He was Picked up again, this time by the the naval ship USS President Jackson (AP – 37), he was one of 500 survivors of the battle who were evacuated to the ship Noumea. On board the transport, Staples hugging that lifebelt with gratitude, looked at that small piece of equipment for the first time. He scrutinized every stitch of the lifebelt that had served him so well. It had been manufactured by Firestone Tire and Rubber Company of Akron, Ohio, and bore a registration number. When he was sent home on leave, Staples told his story and asked his mother, who worked for Firestone, about the purpose of the number the belt. She replied that the company insisted on personal responsibility for the war effort, and that the number was unique and assigned to only one inspector. Staples remembered everything about the lifebelt, and quoted the number. There was a moment of stunned silence in the room and then his mother spoke: “That was my personal code that I affixed to every item I was responsible for approving.  The one who gave him birth also gave him rescue in the swirling waters.   If an earthly parent can provide a means of rescue without knowing when and for whom, how much more my creator God can save you and me from dying in the storms of this life.”


David rested in peace in the knowledge that God is everywhere. "Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there;If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning,And  dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,10 Even there Your hand shall lead me,And Your right hand shall hold me." (Psalm 139:7-10).


Therefore, we do not need to be afraid. An old Hymn goes like this: “No fatigue or exhaustion can cast our God into sleep; his watchful eyes are never closed. We can sleep in peace when we remember that God is awake. The Lord watches over you and me."




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