Saturday, September 23, 2023

Very early in my life, I was frightened by the sense of a vigilant God: The idea that “God is watching!” seemed oppressive to me. Many of our ideas about God change as we grow, and in this case, the concept behind my fear evolved as I grew in faith and knowledge. What I know now is this verse is not meant to be threatening. It is meant to be comforting. We don’t need to hide from God. He already knows everything in our hearts, and He loves us deeply anyway. This verse is about unconditional love, which has no need for secrets. What I saw as oppression as a child, I now understand is a wonderful grace.

Beyond all the learning experience in Haggai back in 2007, it was a turning point in my ministry and in my roles as a husband and a father. The preparation I got there made me better prepared for life.