Resources The eyes, ears and face of God Over the last couple of weeks - privately and quietly to myself, I've been taking a look at myself as a Father and how I relate to Jonathan, my son. Not necessarily if I've been a good or bad Dad, but how we interact. How I listen to him, look at him, get his attention, pay attention to him, hear him when he calls or pretend not to hear him at times! The more I've thought about this, the more aware I've become about how God deals with us and interacts with us. So over the next couple of weeks I will be looking at 'Lesson's I'm learning from Jonathan' We will not be going through a book verse by verse, but will be looking at general principles that are throughout the pages of scripture. Today, we will look at 'The eyes, ears and face of God'. I am not for one moment suggesting that as a Father have it all sorted. But what I do know, is that the Father / child relationship on earth, is an imperfect picture of the Perfect Heavenly Father's relationship with us. Example Hanse Cronje, cricketer - Story - Unconditional love. A reminder of the love the Father has for me. 1). The Eyes of God He who watches over you will not slumber ... or sleep. The Lord watches over you - He is our protection - He watches over your life; he watches over your coming and going both now and for ever more. So says Psalm 121 The God who created and sustains the whole of the universe - has time for you and me. Ever too busy as a Father? God isn't. Ever fail to watch over your child - even for a moment? - God doesn't. God's eyes go even further than that - before we were even born - God saw your unformed body. 'Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.' Psalm 139 : 16 What kind of a difference does it make in your life to know and realise that God has eye on you? How does / should your life change as you become more and more aware that He is actively watching over you? This can be both positive and negative - enlarge Does that thought scare you somewhat or cause you to fear. Do you say, well I'm not perfect - what God sees in me must be devastating to Him at times ... Well, let God's word reassure you. Of course you will fail, of course you will let God down, by nature you are a sinner. But let me ask a question - Are you committed to Him? Is your heart fully committed to Him? Then, God seeks to strengthen you - He wanders around the earth, looking for His people, those who are committed to Him to strengthen them. 'For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him....' 2 Chronicles 16 : 9 ( context - King Asa - good king - turned to king of Aram for help instead of God ) As you go about your day to day tasks - they are not separate from our life of faith - God looks out for us - to strengthen us. 'My eyes will watch over them for their good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up and not tear them down; I will plant them and not uproot them.' Jeremiah 24 : 6 ( God watches over those who belong to Him - context Two basket of Figs - good/bad. Good restored / bad destroyed ) 2). The Ears of God I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. Psalm 40 : 1 Did you know that God listens out for your voice? In this Psalm - David is having a torrid time. The situation he finds himself in is a pit, a dark, deep, horrible pit. God inclines towards him and hears his cry. The Hebrew word for inclined is natah. It paints a lovely picture of a young child trying to get the attention of his Father - on feeling the tug on his trousers, the Father stops what he is doing - stoops down, looks his child in the eye and says 'I'm all ears - I'm listening - You've got my attention'. It's a picture for you and me of a loving heavenly Father who inclines Himself towards us and says - I hear you, I'm listening. The Almighty God of creation looks you and I in our eyes and focuses on our very need. It prompted David to say in Psalm 116 - 'I love the Lord, for He heard my voice; He heard my cry for mercy. Because He turned ( inclined ) His ear to me, I will call on Him as long as I live.' There are times when I don't hear my son Jonathan - times when I choose not to hear Jonathan ( Our sin can cause God not to hear us or look up on us - enlarge briefly ) But when we cry out to Him - He hears me. Even in the midst of the darkness of the pit of our life. He hears. David asks the question in Psalm 94 : 9 'Does he who implanted the ear not hear? Does he who formed the eye not see?' Of course not. 3). The Face of God It is a face that is radiant; it is a face that shines like the sun; a face that is full of light and glory. It is a holy face, full of the glory of God himself. It is a face that cannot look upon sin or evil; It is a face that will turn away from us if we continue in our sin - but a face that will turn to us - to shine upon us. As a Father, there are times already when I have turned my face away from Jonathan ( for a moment ). I've not liked what he has done. But within moments we talk - face to face. He is sometimes reluctant to face up to what he has done and will turn his head away from the gaze of my eyes. But when our eyes meet, when we talk face to face ... when a talk is given and a sorry is received ... the relationship is fully restored. Isn't that what God wants from us? Doesn't He want a one to one - to speak to us face to face. To reveal Himself; To restore us; To assure us of His love. Aren't we told on numerous occasions throughout scripture - to seek the face of God? Isn't this what we should be doing - privately / corporately? Our motto text tells us to do just that ... 'if my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear ... forgive ... heal.' It is this idea of doing what God wants - His will, being what God wants - obedient, going where God wants - His way. Seek after me - my face. That is the command of God to you and I. It was the blessing asked for in OT times - Number 6 : 24f 'The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious towards you; the Lord turn His face towards you and give you peace.' In closing, let's briefly look at Jesus then ask a few more questions of ourselves for application. When Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Matt 9 : 36 When Jesus heard the cry of the blind, the deaf, the poor, the down trodden, the diseased, the demon possessed. He healed them. The very face of Jesus - was not beautiful that we should desire Him - But in His whole life, it reflected the love of God, the glory of God. When people came face to face with Jesus - they were a changed people. They were changed to be like Him or changed as their hearts were hardened against Him. When He was on the cross - He looked at people - met their needs, gave life, offered forgiveness, and even there he was met with rejection. What is ultimately true is that all who met Jesus, life for them would never be the same again. 1). Do we see with the eyes of Jesus - Compassion 2). Do we hear the cry of the needy, oppressed - Compassion 3). Has He met face to face with you - How have/will you respond to Him. Enlarge on each of the questions - answers. Back to top of page

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