My youngest grandchild has begun to climb out of his crib with his mattress as low as possible while wearing his sleep sack. It’s a feat. The security camera recording shows his formidable skills forward, backward, slow motion and fast.
He just sort of vaults and swings. And bingo, he is over. Quite remarkable, really. The athleticism amazes me.
I watch the operation on my daughter-in-law’s cell phone. In her palm lies the recording of every movement of that little boy in the last eight hours.
Kinda like God who sees all we do.
The thought of up close and personal etched into real time video is daunting. Which strikes me as being rather silly for someone who has been taught since a child that God sees everything I do.
My life rolls images like an old Candid Camera spot, and I think through my day.
“Did I use too stern of a voice?”
“Was I too aggressive?”
“Maybe I was harsh when I should have shown more patience.”
I resonate with the Psalmist’s plea in Psalm 130:3 NIV, “If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand?”
The vaulting of a little boy over the safe boundaries of his crib has convicted my heart. Because I’m well aware that God sees all and what’s hidden under my skin is perfectly revealed to Him. I get impatient. I can be unkind. Sometimes I get angry.
Psalm 130 is one of the Psalms of Ascent. They were songs which accompanied the Jewish community as they made their yearly pilgrimage to Jerusalem. The fifteen songs prepared the way for worship in the temple. They were often soul searching prayers, laments, and praises full of anticipation.
They walked the dusty path that Jesus would one day walk, not only to worship, but to give His own life.
The Psalmist begins the chapter with intense need from deep within his heart.
“Out of the depths, I cried to you Lord.” (Ps. 130:1 NIV)
He knew where to turn and to whom.
“If you, Lord, kept a record of sins…”
I’m so glad the Psalmist didn’t stop there, with the full screen showing an erring child.
“But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you.” Psalm 130:4 NIV
Forgiveness opens the way for worship. While God’s chosen made their way up the dusty hill to worship in Jerusalem, this song reminded them that God sees the sins others do to us and the ones we commit against others. And they recognized sin’s record could not be overcome without confession and forgiveness.
Forgiveness is fundamental if we claim a reverence of God. Service to God spills from the miracle of a forgiven heart. Unbarred worship is the joyous outcome.
Jesus walked the road to Calvary and took upon Himself our sin, every one unhidden to His eyes. With a pure love He gave His life so that we can know His forgiveness. Wronged, abused and abased, the perfect Lamb of God forgave even as He breathed His last. This is the example He left for us to follow.
He continues faithful to forgive, to erase the reels of sin.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 NIV
My technological savvy is non-existent. But one thing that strikes me as I watch the images of my little grandson, there is a God who sees all I do, down to every impatient word, roll of the eyes, or facial grimace. And with all my heart I want no barriers between us.
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