God Sees All

We all believe that God sees all. So if we were asked, “What is it that God does not see?” how would we answer?

As an illustration, imagine a soap opera scene. An antagonist glares into the camera and says inwardly, “I’ll get even with him!” (plus zoom-in extreme close-up and booming sound effects). Perhaps the character thinks his inner voice is hidden, even though viewers all across the country can hear it.

That is more or less how ‘hidden’ we are from God. We may think certain things can be buried deep or forgotten, yet God sees all. He knows all our deeds.

Yet there is another sense of being ‘hidden’ that is dangerous, even paralyzing: the feeling that God does not see the suffering we are going through. We wonder whether He has forgotten us.

Here are three perspectives in keeping with God’s all-seeing character:

1. God Shows No Partiality

People may compromise over the wrongs of others or even their own wrongs after piling up a stack of good deeds, but not so with God. Whatever the wrong, whoever does it, God still takes it into account.

“For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:14)

But this does not apply only to bad things. He also records noble and great deeds, as in the story of a woman who poured expensive perfume on Jesus.

My brothers and sisters, God is just in His reckoning and not sentimental in His judgment. Perhaps our prayers have not yet been answered because there is something in our walk of faith that needs to be corrected and strengthened. Or perhaps He wants to open our understanding or awareness to something that we can grasp only after going through certain hardships. So do not worry. God sees our efforts and our petitions, but He will answer according to His time and His will.

2. We Have Blind Spots

One of the greatest obstacles to attaining God’s truth is the effort to uphold our own truth. This is what the Lord Jesus opposed most strongly in the Jewish religious groups of that time. The efforts of the teachers of the law and the Pharisees in carrying out the commands of the Law were extraordinary. Yet it became worthless before Jesus when they boasted in it.

My brothers and sisters, God knows all our deeds, from the good to the bad—both what we realize and what we do not. Just as the human eye cannot see its entire back without the help of a mirror, so our inner sight can miss many things. But God sees all, and He knows our blind spots.

“Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time, before the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will reveal what the heart intends. Then each person will receive praise from God.” (1 Corinthians 4:5)

Do not think yourself better because you have done good. We become good only by the grace of God. What can we boast of if every good thing in this life is given by God?

3. In righteous living, there is nothing to worry about

Paul writes in the letter to the Romans about fear that comes from doing wrong.

“For the ruler is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid of him, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to punish those who do wrong.” (Romans 13:4)

The verse above is a picture of our relationship with God. There is no need to worry if we do what is right. Whatever our work and role in society may be, do it sincerely and honestly. God knows, God cares, and He watches over our every thought and action.

Let us, brothers and sisters, not hesitate to come and open ourselves before the Lord in all things. Let us confess our sins and our neglect. Let us ask for justice and help for the obstacles we are facing. Surrender yourself to the Lord’s love and presence, because He sees it all.

Edited from the article "What Is It That God Cannot See?" by Rev. Togar Sianturi.