Read
21The Lord sees everything,
and he watches us closely.
22Sinners are trapped and caught
by their own evil deeds.
23They get lost and die
because of their foolishness
and lack of self-control.
Reflect
“Big Brother is watching.” The phrase, from George Orwell’s book, 1984, has become a common slogan in the modern age, and it always has a negative connotation. We don’t want to be watched because we don’t want to be judged. We don’t want to be judged because we know we are guilty. But the scripture is clear—God watches and there is nothing he misses.
The writer of this proverb tells us that those who sin are caught in a trap of their own making and will die because of their own foolishness. The picture would be extremely depressing to us all if we did not now live in an age of grace, thanks to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
There is no greater horror to contemplate than that web of sin with no escape. The justice of God would demand death and all of us would be condemned, but for the blood of Christ. He is our brother, the “Big Brother” who is indeed watching, not to condemn and destroy, but to woo and to save. Knowing Him is to welcome His eye upon us, because to know Him is to understand His unfailing love that will not leave us in a trap, but will offer us a way out of it.
Big Brother is indeed watching. Thanks be to God.
Respond
Our Heavenly Father, we thank you that you do not leave us alone, that you came among us to set us free from the webs of sin we weave around ourselves. Thank you that your mercy and grace are constant and unfailing. Thank you for who you are and for what you do. Amen.
Marcia Lee Laycock
Marcia Lee Laycock is an award-winning writer and sought-after speaker. Having lived a few kilometers from the Arctic Circle, and two degrees off the Equator, her writing draws from a rich field of experiences. Marcia was the winner of the Best New Canadian Christian Author Award for her novel, One Smooth Stone, and she now has four devotional books and a fantasy series in print, which have also garnered awards. Marcia lives in central Alberta with her pastor husband. They have three grown daughters and two huge Great Dane grand-puppies.