Keys to the Kingdom
By Carolyn Tucker
Watching Over Me
Two wonderfully-talented ladies made two beautiful songs very popular many years ago. In 1959, Ella Fitzgerald recorded “Someone to Watch over Me” written by brothers George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin. This sublime song was also performed in one of my favorite movies, “Mr. Holland’s Opus.” And Ethel Waters was best known and loved for singing “His Eye is on the Sparrow” composed by Civilla Martin and Charles H. Gabriel in 1905. She began singing as a guest vocalist at the Billy Graham crusades in 1957 and continued for nearly 20 years. I remember intently watching and listening to her ad lib with the biggest smile and soulful expressions. The last line of the song was impressive to me then, and it’s still impressive: “For His eye is on…the spar-row…and I know…He wa-tches…me.“
I recently came across this quote by pastor/evangelist and Revivaltime radio broadcast speaker C. M. Ward in one of my old journals: “None of us can make it through without God’s help. I need an abiding sense of God’s presence. I need a ’cloud’ by day and a ’pillar of fire’ by night. In the gloomiest hour, when the lights of this world have gone out, I need to know that He is there watching over me.”
One of my favorite scriptures is 1 Peter 5:7 AMPC: “Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.” The key words in this verse that are especially comforting to me are “all, affectionately, and watchfully.” God knows all about our circumstances, our emotions, our thoughts, our fears, and our faith.
Jesus’ disciples had spent years following, learning, assisting, and witnessing miracles. The storm on the Sea of Galilee was a test of the disciples’ faith. This situation was an opportunity to practice using their faith. I don’t think Jesus was impressed with their faith because, “He replied, ‘Your faith is so small! Why are you so afraid?’ Then Jesus got up and ordered the winds and the waves to stop. It became completely calm” (Matthew 8:26 NIRV). I don’t think He’s impressed with our faith when we act like we don’t have a heavenly Father to take care of us.
God is aware and cares about the smallest, insignificant things and events. “Not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows” (Matthew 10:29-31 NLT). Believers can find assurance in knowing God is unlimited in taking care of the big or small stuff — it‘s all the same to Him!
“The Lord sees what happens everywhere, He is watching us, whether we do good or evil” (Proverbs 15:3 GNT). This reminds me of the story about a man who was burglarizing a home as the parrot excitedly watched. In fact, the parrot repeatedly kept saying, “Jesus is watching you.“ The man couldn’t have cared less. But after several minutes the burglar noticed a vicious Dobermann standing nearby staring at him and baring his teeth. About that time the parrot screeched, “Sic ’em, Jesus!”
The Key: Believers can rest assured that God is on 24-7 watch duty because He cares.