Strong spirits: what are you watching?
What are you looking for, what has your attention, what you are pondering?
So what are you watching these days? There could be lots of responses, depending on whether we are talking about TV, or Netflix, or your phone. But I'm not talking about any of those... I'm wondering what you are looking for, what has your attention, what wakes you up, what you are pondering, what you are observing.
In the Bible, the word watch can mean "wake up" or "pay attention" It was this kind of watching that the shepherds were doing over their sheep, when the angel showed up to tell them about the birth of the Messiah. (Luke 2:8) It was this kind of watching that Jesus asked his friends to do on his behalf- coupled with prayer- on the night before he died. (Matthew 2:40,41). Watching in the Biblical sense is often coupled with prayer.
Similarly, Jesus tells us he will come again, but that no one, not even he, knows when, and so we should pay attention, be alert, live our days focused on him, watch. (Mark 13:34-37) Strong and challenging words.
Happily, we are also told that God is always watching over us with love; that he knows us better than we know ourselves, and that he never leaves us or forsakes us. What a comfort to know that my loving Father is always watching over me!
Are you watching? Are you alert? Are you paying attention?
Gary Schwerin serves as pastor at Caledonia Congregational Church. He is also the Spiritual Development Minister for the YMCA of the Rock River Valley and Executive Director of Bridge Ministries of Rockford. Prior to launching Bridge Ministries, Gary spent many years in leadership with Young Life. His columns appear here every Sunday - subscribe to our daily email so you don't miss any.
