My Father Saw That

She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me, “for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” Genesis 16:13 There’s a movie from several years ago that I absolutely love! It’s called “The American President.” The premise is that the president, who is a widower, has begun to date. He’s dating a lovely woman while running for reelection. His opponent is awful. He knows he doesn’t have much of a chance against the popular incumbent so he tries to make a mountain out of the molehill of the standing president’s romance. At one point there is a news clip that shows the woman in a protest during her college days. After the clip plays the opponent refers to the president’s lady friend as “the president’s whore.” She groans and says to the president “My father saw that!” She is devastated, not because what is being said is true but because her father, who she loves and respects, saw the clip and heard those words spoken about her. I thought of that line the other day while reading Scripture. “Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret…..” Matthew 6:6b Your Father who sees what is done in secret…. In the passage, that’s a good thing. It’s talking about prayer and doing good deeds, not for man’s approval but to honor God. There is a flip side though. Yes, God sees us when we secretly take care of a chore that isn’t ours or pay a bill for someone or do any kindness not expecting reward. Yes, our Father sees that. He also sees us when we’re not doing so well. Our Father sees everything. He sees us when we refuse to acknowledge another person or their efforts. He sees us when we choose the ordinary over the sacred. He sees us holding onto that grudge or worse nursing it so that it can grow. He sees us when cheat, lie or steal. He sees us. Whatever we’re doing we have to know, my Father saw that. We are told in the Scripture to be prepared because we don’t know when Jesus is coming back. What do you want to be doing when the Son of God returns? That’s an eye opener. Is this what I would want Jesus to, in a sense, walk in and catch me doing? Take that further. When we make a choice, any choice, we have to know that our Father will see it. He will see the results of it. Do we want to groan with the president’s girlfriend, “My father saw that!” Or do we want to say, with great hope that we are pleasing Him, “My Father saw that!” ?