Psalm 139:3   ³ You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.

 “He sees you when you’re sleeping; he knows when you’re awake. He knows if you’ve been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake.” Many of us think about God as a kind of cosmic Santa Claus, who can see how we behave, and who doles out punishment or reward accordingly.

It is true God sees all that we do and knows what we think. But God isn’t out to get us. God isn’t looking for the chance to jump on us when we fail and punish us for our wrongs.

Our God is a God of love. He meets us where we are. It grieves him when we sin, but he meets our sin with mercy and grace. It pleases him when we are good for goodness sake, because we are his children. He meets our good deeds with encouragement to continue to do good because we are good in him. Most of all, God loves us with an everlasting love.

God guides our steps and leads us in the way we should go. God lifts us up when we fall and holds us in his loving arms.

O God who sees us, guide our steps; lift us when we fall. Help us to understand that you love us. Amen.