LOOK MY WAY

Last weekend a friend was kind enough to invite me to their church for the umpteenth time; or should I say was "polite" enough to honour an invite that had been extended some Sundays back. Well, either of the two. So I attended the service and I must say I had a great time in the Lord's House. Thank you for the invite. I will come again. I am still nursing the blessings.The entire service was just exactly what I needed at that moment.The praise, adorable worship, deep prayer, cheerful giving and timely sermon were just a succession of blessings.

The sermon was the climax of it. The preacher  was a guest speaker from a different church but the message was what a guest like me needed. The theme verse was 2 Chronicles 16:9

This was not the first time I was hearing that  scripture but for some reason it sounded more real than ever before. I could now relate to the Scripture .In our younger years God was painted as some old man with a rod waiting for someone to wrong Him so He can punish them thoroughly. Here is the scripture painting the true picture:

 God's eyes are scanning the earth.. Looking NOT for someone to punish but for someone to help :-)  Someone to strengthen. The same words are echoed in

1 Peter 3:12 NIV

For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."

During Elijah's time, as God's eyes were scanning the earth they landed on the Widow of Zarephath who had just one meal left and then she would die. It is easy to pick her helplessness and hopelessness in 1 Kings17:12

¹² “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.”

To think of it,Elijah was sent  to her, not because he was hungry per se; after all the ravens had been dutifully doing their job,  but because the woman was in need.

The same eyes were scanning the earth and landed on a barren woman who was crying out to the Lord for a child. She had prayed so much that words had turned to sobs. As Hannah prayed, the Lord looked down upon her and granted  her a child; sorry children.

I contrast this with 1Peter 5:8 New Living Translation

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 

From Job's time it is evident that he indeed roams looking for somebody to "finish". 

Isn't it encouraging to know that much as the devil is prowling around looking for someone to devour, the Lord is scanning the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are truly seeking after Him?

As I write this; my prayer  for you is  what the preacher prayed for us; that as the eyes of the Lord scan through the earth looking for someone to strengthen that they will look your way. May the gentle saviour not pass you by.