Does God See You?

“Thus says the LORD: ‘Heaven is My throne, And earth is my footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest? For all those things My hand has made, And all those things exist,’ Says the LORD. ‘But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word.'” (Isaiah 66:1-2)

The Israelites had a Temple for worshiping the Lord God. They put much attention on the building. After all, it was the place that God had ordained as the place for worship – the place where men could come and approach God through sacrifice, incense and the priesthood.

But that became a problem. The people put more attention on the building than on their own responsibilities of holiness before the Lord. The attitude was, “As long as I do the worship things, I am okay. As long as I bring my sacrifice then I’m good.”

God told them that He would only look on a certain person. Not the one who performed all the right actions. Not the one who considered himself to be good and righteous. Not the one who had a good standing in society. The one that God would look on? The humble person. The one who saw his own wretchedness and sin and cringed at his own life – full of sin and uncleanness. The one who heard what God said in His Word, the Bible, about wickedness and evil and sin and righteousness and judgment. The one who saw that God was a God of mercy to those who prostrated themselves before Him, admitting their worthlessness and need. This is the one that God looks on.

This is not a very pleasant or popular message, especially in a world of self-esteem and self-promotion. But it is God’s message. It is the message of hope, of forgiveness, of salvation.

Jesus Christ Himself came into the world in such a manner. He “humbled himself” and “became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8). He did this in order that He would “be made sin for us” (that is, take the blame, the shame and the pain for our sin) so that we “might be made (become) the righteousness of God in Him (in Jesus)” (II Corinthians 5:21).