“Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy,” -Psalms 33:8
As I was reading Psalms 33 tonight, this verse jumped at me. Have you ever been so excited to see something? Behold! There it was all of a sudden? This is sorta of a little story. It’s meaningless, really. But, let me share it anyway to make my “behold” point.
I was in Paris, France, with my cousin. I love Paris. I walk all over that city. I’ve been to Paris a few times. I know they have Lays Potato chips. I eat potato chips only when I’m away. It’s the salt my body is wanting. However, I wanted Pringles. I never seen Pringles before in France. We searched for days to find this type of potato chips and couldn't find it. My cousin was saying, “Why can’t you just get the Lays already?”
The day before we left, there was this little store. So, I went in to buy a bottle of water. The guy at the register said, “Hi!" I said in French, “Hi, how are you?" He continued in Arabic. I don’t speak Arabic. I responded in English. He asked me if I was Arab? I told him, No! He said, “Are you sure? You look like an exotic Arab woman, beautiful eyes.” We talked for a few minutes.
I grabbed my water and he asked me, “Anything else I can get you, Teresa? I jokingly said, “Well, Yes, but you don’t have it. Pringle’s Potato Chips, originals, please.” As I laughed, He said, “Hmmm let me see if I can grant you this wish.” I couldn’t help my self. I said, “Oh my God! You're kidding me, right? Stop it. I’m going to hug you if you could only find it for me.” The man left the register and went over behind the last top shelf, behind packages of plastic scarfs and pulled out a little container of potato chips, holding them out to me and opened his arms, “My hug, Teresa!” Behold, those chips! My eyes were on that package. Thank you, Mohammed.
I thought about those chips. I’m not comparing us to a Pringle’s Potato Chips here, but this Bible verse talks about the eye of God. His eye is on those who fear Him. Fear here means honor Him, please Him, and love Him. His eye is on them. “Behold, that’s my child right there. I located one of them- behind the scenes, behind the closet, behind the limelight, behind all the things that would take front and center stage. There’s my child! Ready, and prepared for every good work”
“His eye is on those who hope in His mercy.” Really, I’m sure France has Pringle Potato Chips because I found it once. Logic tells me it’s still there. The analogy is that it was hard and took days to find. There are people on planet earth that still have faith in a God that does not fail. They have absolute assurance they can rely on the mercy of God in the worst of situations. They know God will find them buried in problems with solutions to those problems. He will find them under stress and life spinning out of control with issues. He gives them peace that passes all understanding. He reminds them He is in total control of everything. He finds that one who is hiding with fear and anxiety. “Fear not, I’m with you. Be anxious for nothing. I’m with you.”
“Behold! I see you. I see everything. I know beginning to end. I am the God that heals, restores, and does miracles that blow your mind. I’m unstoppable because I am God. What hand can stop, control, and hold back my hand? Behold, my eye is on you. If you fear me, I will show you my mercy. I will meet all of your needs according to my riches in glory. If you put your Hope, trust, faith, confidence and you believe me, you shall see my mercy. You will see my generosity, goodness, kindness, and you shall be showered with blessings. My grace shall be more then enough. I will meet all of your needs, and then some. Because you love me, I will rescue all the time.” This what He says to us in His word.
This verse is what I cling too. I do not live my life on what is seen. That’s not faith. I don’t live my life on that which is possible. Things that I and people can bring about. This is man’s wisdom. We have that kind of wisdom already. I want to live in the realm of God’s wisdom. I want His eye to behold and find me having childlike faith. When everyone else is feeling hopeless, I’m filled with hope, real hope, not fake hope. When everyone else is filled with fear, I want to stand armed up holding the shield of faith, and sword of the spirit, fighting off the lies of the enemy, replacing my mind with things that are true and lovely, and then encouraging everyone around me. When there’s panic, I want to stand on the solid rock, no sinking sand for me. When everyone else says, “Impossible.” I’m standing strong, proclaiming boldly, “Nothing is impossible with God. All things are possible for those who put their trust in God.”
I want to be found when I’m needed. Just as that package of Pringle’s potato chips. Ready for those who need “salt” replaced. I want to be the salt and light of the world. This means I will be hidden in Christ. Behold His eye will find me, and show Himself powerful on my behalf. This means I don’t think or act like the world. Yes, I’m a peculiar woman, only holding the treasures and truths of the Living Word of God. Expecting Him to manifest His glorious majestic self.
The other night, I received a message from a good friend, “Please pray, my wife had emergency delivery. Baby was delivered but is not well. I know you pray. I know God hears you. Please pray for my wife and baby.” I knew already medically what happened to that baby. I wasn’t sure that baby was going to live. I didn’t tell him that. I told him, “I’m going to pray now. I’ll contact all my praying friends. We will pray.” He kept asking me what do you know about these complications?” While he was asking me, I was praying in my mind. I wasn’t going to tell him that the baby lost too much oxygen during this trauma, not sure baby will live.” So, I asked him things I knew doctors would have to already know, praying he would tell me the good news. Did baby cry? Can baby see? Can baby hear? Can baby move? How many weeks was the baby? How much does baby weigh? Just knowing that told me the oxygen lacked didn’t cause physical disabilities, that would be manifesting now.
I went to prayer, and I asked God to save this baby’s life. I asked God to please heal the baby. He sent me another message in the middle of the night. “I’m returning home. Please pray for my wife and baby.” Right then, God spoke to me. “Tell him, I have his baby in my arms. I’m personally taking care of his baby.” I was saying to God, “God, you know this situation. That baby might not make it through the night. Please God don’t let me say anything to bring confusion or hurt them.” Again, I heard so clear in my spirit. “Tell him I have that baby in my hands. I’m taking care of that baby myself.” So, I told him.
I prayed throughout the night. This morning I woke up and picked up my cell to see his message. Baby is doing really well, they unhooked all the stuff they had. Now we wait for one more test. I’m sending you the medical report please tell me what you think? I saw that report, I know that baby is not completely out of the woods, but I know that baby will live and that baby will be known as a miracle baby, thanks to all who prayed. God touched that baby, I’m expecting a perfect final report.
Let God’s eye locate and behold you. Determine you will surrender and live for Him. Fear Him, meaning reverence Him. Then sit back and bask in His love. Don’t doubt. Have the faith to believe the impossible. Trust Him no matter what the physical evidence says, suggests, or is. God’s mercy shows in the times of trouble and tragedies. Refuse to be negative. Refuse to be faithless. Then sit back and thank God. Watch His mercy come down because you feared Him and hoped in His unfailing love. Unless God gives me words of warnings, I will always speak life over death. It doesn't mean I don’t know what’s happening. It simply means I am trusting God for a miracle or God has already told me the outcome and I’m just speaking to you what I heard in the spirit. Behold the eye of the Lord, locating you: How will He find you? Faithful or faithless? Hope in Him brings His mercies. I will hope in Him.
Rev. Dr. Teresa Allissa Citro Founder and President of Thread of Hope, Inc.