Tues., 1/15/13 Devotion (Gen. 16:13a)

Today's encouragement comes from Genesis 16:13a, where we read these words:

"Then she [Hagar] called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees . . . "

Sometimes people try to convince themselves that God does *not* see everything that happens. Whenever we sin, we are imagining that a Holy God somehow is not aware of it. But the fact is, that the Lord is cognizant--all at one time, and with total comprehension--of *every-thing* that occurs in the entire universe. This includes full knowledge of every single thought we have in our hearts and minds.

This truth may cause us to tremble a bit. But then, we also remember that the Lord sees our sincere faith in His Son; and, on the basis of Jesus' work, He forgives all the sins of His faithful church. Let us be ever-grateful for this!

[Puritan quote of the day: "You cannot gratify Satan more, nor injure yourselves more, than by living without assurance [of God's favor in Christ]." --Thomas Brooks, in, "Heaven on Earth"]