Caryn Rivadeneira 0:06
Welcome to Elmhurst CRC's daily dose of the word of God. It's Thursday, August 4 and Sunday's coming. This is Caryn Rivadeneira. I serve as Director of Care and Worship Planning. And I'll be reading Psalm 33, 13 through 14.
Caryn Rivadeneira 0:20
From heaven, the Lord looks down and sees all humankind. From His dwelling place, he watches over all who live on Earth.
Caryn Rivadeneira 0:29
Verses like this can seem daunting, especially if you have a view of God as a stern and angry God, just waiting to punish us when we mess up. We might develop this view if we grew up with detached, harsh or judgmental parents, caregivers or coaches. We might develop this view if we've been taught that God is filled with wrath toward us or disappointed in us at all times. We might develop this view if we've learned that characteristics such as love, grace and mercy are God's weaker qualities. And so, we read verses about God looking down and seeing all humankind and shutter. That means God saw me snapping at my partner or, that means God saw me passing by that person in need. And it is true that God sees our behavior. And indeed, God sees into our hearts and knows all those sins we harbor and hide. So yeah - we CAN read this passage that way.
Caryn Rivadeneira 1:26
However, this doesn't seem to be the way the psalmist wrote it. Indeed, later in this passage, we read of God watching humanity to rescue us, to restore us. We have hope, and God because God watches us, to save us. That's quite a different view from the austere and harsh God watching us, waiting to punish us for any and every misstep or icky thought. We could even take this further. Because although God does see us behaving or thinking badly - just like a good parent - God looks at us first with love. God looks at us with grace. God looks at us with mercy. In fact, other places in the scriptures tell us that God looks at us with delight. Now, that certainly changes the tone of this verse, doesn't it? So how about we read it again? But before we do, if you've struggled to imagine God watching us - God's beloved -with joy, take a moment to picture yourself, watching someone or something you love, or something or someone who delights you. How do you feel? What does your face look like in that moment? Now, imagine our perfect, loving God, watching you with that same love and delight as we reread this.
Caryn Rivadeneira 2:43
From heaven, the Lord looks down and sees all humankind. From his dwelling place, he watches all who live on Earth.
Caryn Rivadeneira 2:53
Let's pray. God, thank you for loving us. Thank you for watching us. Thank you for loving and delighting in us so fully, so completely, so much, that you sent your son Jesus, to conquer death and hell and sin and to show us how to live. Thank you for the gift of the Spirit to be with us and guid