|
Read: Psalm 33:18-22
Truly the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him,
on those who hope in his steadfast love.
Psalm 33:18
Do you ever find yourself watching the faces of people in a crowd? I do it quite often. In my retirement job as a historical interpreter at Biltmore Estate, I encounter a sea of countless faces each day. I watch harried parents chasing toddlers or consoling crying infants. Their embarrassment and stress is all over their faces. I watch elderly guests stand at the base of the grand staircase wondering how they’ll ever be able to climb those steps. I see their angst and sadness over aging uncooperative bodies. I see sullen teenagers, walking behind their parents with eyes glued to cell phones instead of the beauty that surrounds them. Their pre-occupation with their phone revealing their loneliness and need to belong. I see co-workers smiling at guests despite the pain I know they are experiencing in their personal life; loss of a parent, sickness of a child, a troubled relationship. And I watch eyes, lots of them. As our masked guests stroll throughout the chateau, I notice smiles, intrigue, pain, sadness, loneliness, wisdom, fear, anger, all through the window of their eyes.
It occurs to me that the Lord’s eyes are on all of us. He sees our pain, knows the intimate details of our lives. He knows our deepest needs long before we lift them to Him in prayer. Our uncertainty in this world stokes an inner voice that often diminishes us. We’re pull down by external forces and soon we become defeated and dejected. But God’s voice is one of gentle affirmation. God’s message is hope. Life is full of twists an turns; he is our buoy in the stormy sea. As we begin this Advent season, may we fully grasp that we are His. He alone is the source of our hope. And hope makes all the difference!
~Mary Cunningham
| 
