"Who has seen such things?"
Isaiah 66:8
I got my hair cut today. It's been a while. I've got longer-than-shoulder-length hair already, so I've been letting it grow down my back several inches over the past few months. But recently, I decided it was too long. It was harder to take care of, and getting in my way more often, so I had it cut.
Now, please understand, it's been months since I got my hair cut. I have some natural wave to my hair, but the longer it gets, the straighter it gets. It just gets weighed down. So getting a couple inches cut off the length, getting the layers and the bangs trimmed made a noticeable difference.
But only to me.
I saw several friends tonight, and I think only two people noticed that my hair was different. And that actually made me feel glad, because with my hair too long, I sometimes didn't think it looked as good. And tonight I thought, I guess if they're not noticing that my hair looks good tonight, then they probably didn't notice those times when it didn't look so good.
People are never thinking about us as much as we think they're thinking about us. Which we might think about if we stop thinking about ourselves long enough to think about other people. Doncha think?
But you know what else no one noticed? The judging I was doing. Some people might call it simply having an opinion. But it feels like judging. And if it feels like judging, then it is. But it was in my own heart and my own mind, and no one noticed but God.
And no one noticed my arrogance. I did things today without ever asking God to be a part of it, or even asking Him if I should. But no one knew that, except Him.
And no one noticed my faithlessness. No one sees my heart when it's anxious or rebellious.
No one noticed my pride. Or my fear. Or my disobedience.
There are sins that are obvious, to be sure. But many of them are not. Aren't we glad that a lot of the work He's doing in our hearts is known only to us!
~ "there is no creature hidden from His sight,
but all things are naked and open
to the eyes of Him
to whom we must give account" ~
Hebrews 4:13
I don't comment on each and every one of your posts, but I always read them. The last several have been especially good, I thought.
ReplyDeleteRegarding Hebrews 4:13, God's interest in the smallest details of our lives was brought home to me this morning after I had had a particularly weird, disturbing dream just before waking. A bit later, when I read the two daily devotional books I've been using this year for morning quiet time, both of the articles for October 3rd spoke directly to my situation.
Thank you, my far-away friend. I'm a faithful reader of your interesting and entertaining blog, too! :)
ReplyDeleteAnd I know exactly what you mean, having had similar experiences with disturbing dreams and well-timed devotionals! Praise God that He is intimately involved in our lives, if we are open to Him!
I never liked the verses that declare him to be watching our every movement (and listening to our every thought) from secret. Such things are better suited to stalkers, voyeurs, cops, and mothers with small children.
ReplyDeleteWell, I don't know if it's "watching" as much as simply being omniscient. He can't help knowing everything about us, because He knows everything! :)
ReplyDeleteBut I do like the analogy of mothers with small children, because a mother's motive is love. God cares about the smallest things in my life because He loves me!