Thought for Wednesday, 17 May 2023

Psalm 12:1 1-3

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber;

 

Are your eyes on your phone or on your child? Has he run onto the road? Has she taken some other guy’s hand?

This morning as I was drinking my first cup of coffee, I was watching parents take their children to school. I have probably mentioned before about being concerned when I see mums and dads with eyes fastened to their phones while the children wander behind or so far in front that they are out of the parents’ reach. Today I got the fright I have always dreaded when one child ran across the busy road  walk beside another woman.

To say my heart was in my mouth is an understatement. Fortunately, the woman across the road let out a shout that I even heard it indoors. She obviously knew the wee boy and his mum turned back to meet her then began to berate the child for what he had done, blaming him for her own lack of care.

This got me thinking about how easy it would have been for the wrong person to  just take the boy’s hand and disappear with him. People these days must see every day the number of stories about children being snatched. We all have a duty of care when we see anyone in danger but especially when it is a child.

We must all praise God that He never takes His eyes away from us. We must also thank God that we are His prime concern, His own children through the sacrifice of Jesus. God’s parenting skills are perfect, if we stray into danger without being aware of the danger, He will lead us away from it. Of course, we must be willing to listen to God’s voice and obey His words or we will be in serious trouble.

However even then if we go to Him and admit we were wrong and ask for help God will never turn us away. For myself, I shudder to think how often I have had to admit that I did not pay attention when God was trying to divert me from a path I should not have been on. This always causes so much more trouble than it needs to.

Prayer

Loving Father, thank You for Your constant awareness of us. No matter how far we stray You still see us and direct us from unseen danger. Help us to hear Your voice when we stray from the path Jesus showed us, we are weak and sometimes self-willed creatures. Lord God, we ask Your blessings on those we know who have wandered from the path of Jesus and either cannot or do not want to turn back to You, we ask that You would break the hold of the one who has ensnared them. Please give us the courage to go on spreading the word of Jesus at every opportunity. Amen