"But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this inscription:
'The Lord knows those who are His,' and, 'Let everyone who calls on the name
of the Lord turn away from wickedness.'"
-2 Timothy 2:19

Traffic lights

There I am, sitting at the breakfast table, going through the day's mail... junk, junk, junk, catalogue, catalogue, catalogue, bill, bill, bill, then an odd looking envelope. What can this be? It looks unassuming. Upon opening it though, I find a very clear photo of the license plate and backend of my daughter's white VW Rabbit. Plainly her vehicle is "zooming" through the intersection of Campbell Road and Coit Road, very near her high school. With it is an explanation of how much needs to be paid for her "red light" violation. Un-huh, busted!

When Bonnie gets home from school, I confront her about the ticket. She gets angry and protests, "I know I made it through!" I hold up the photo. There it is in living color. "That's not fair!," she cries. Fair or not, she would have to pay for the ticket -- in all sorts of ways!

After our talk, I started thinking about it. There is very little unseen and unknown in our technological society today. Drive around town and cameras are reading license plates, taking pictures, and tracking movement. Use the Internet and every word can be picked up by others. Use your credit card and you establish a permanent record. Talk on a cell phone and anyone with the right equipment can listen in. Use an ATM machine or shop in a store and you can bet cameras are watching. Eat in a restaurant and the fork you leave behind with your body fluids on it can be used to trace your DNA. Doctors and hospitals probably know more about you than you do! Our smallest actions are noticed and recorded.

Why does this surprise and astonish? After all, haven't we always had The Great Surveillant Who has always kept track of us? "He knew us when we were in the womb and He knows the number of hairs on our head." He knows everything we think, say, and do. Nothing can be hidden from Him.

"O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
You know when I sit down and when I rise up,
You discern my thoughts from far away.
Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?"
-Psalm 139:1,2,7

And I wonder, are we living in such a way that God is pleased with what He sees in us?

Dear Lord, our finite minds cannot comprehend
Your greatness and Your knowledge of us.
Yet You care for each of us.
We praise Your Name.
Amen.

Jan Cook
Communications

CCPC READS THROUGH THE PSALMS
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