God is always watching

Father Abraham Srambical

Once a king searched answers for these three questions: 1. Where is God? 2. Which direction does God look? 3. What is God doing now? He struggled with these three questions in his life. He asked these questions to the intellectual people of his courtiers. They gave him many answers. But he was not satisfied by their answers. In that occasion someone told him about a great Monk (religious person) living in his country. The king sent a messenger to invite him to his palace. The great monk humbly accepted his invitation and came to the palace. The king cordially welcomed the monk and gave him a seat near to his throne. Then the king asked him a question, “Where is God?” “I shall answer that question after getting some milk in a big jar,” answered the monk. The king ordered some milk to be brought in a jar. One of the servants of the king brought a full jar of milk. The monk looked at the milk in the jar and asked the king, “Where is the butter in this milk?” “The butter is contained in the whole milk,” the king told him. Immediately, the monk replied, “Like butter in the milk, God remains in the whole world.” The monk’s answer satisfied the king, so he asked his second question. “Which direction is God looking now?” This time the monk requested a lamp be brought. One of the servants of the king brought a lamp to them. The monk lit the lamp and asked the king, “Which direction is the lamplight going?” “The lamplight goes in all directions,” said the king. “Like the lamplight that goes every direction God looks everywhere,” said the monk. “He looks all directions all the time." This answer also satisfied the king. Then he asked his third question to the Monk. “What is God doing now?” “I have been answering your questions, teaching you and clarifying your different doubts,” replied the monk. “So our relationship is teacher and student. The position of a teacher is higher than a student. If I am your teacher, I should sit in the place of a teacher and you should sit in the place of a student.” The king accepted the monk’s idea of a teacher and student. He humbly rose from his throne (royal chair) and requested the monk to take his chair. When the monk was taking to king’s royal chair, the king humbly took the monk’s chair. “God raised you from your throne and exalts the lowly,” said the monk smiling. “God is doing this now.” The king and all the others were amazed by the monk’s knowledge and his answers. The king presented many precious gifts to the monk before he left the palace. The message of this story reflects our faith in God. We firmly believe there is a God. Like the monk’s answer to the king we also believe God’s presence is everywhere. But often we fail to find God’s presence in our personal life. Can our actions and deeds affirm what we believe in God’s presence being everywhere? Sometimes we speak and act without realizing the presence of God. If we believe in the presence of God everywhere, that would make a good difference in our day to day life. Like the monk’s answer to the king, God looks in all directions, like the lamplight. God sees everything that happens in this world. God sees things hidden in our hearts and minds. God knows things we do not know and sees things we don’t see. Sometimes we don’t let people get to know us because we are afraid they will discover something about us they won’t like. Are we ready to avoid evil deeds if we know and remember that God sees and knows everything we do? We would avoid many mischievous things if we trusted in the presence of God in our life. Why do we fear people rather than God? Can we hide anything from God? But God already knows everything about us, even to the number of hairs on our heads. (Matthew 10:30) Still, God accepts us and loves us. God is present everywhere. This is good news to those who believe in and love God, because no matter what we do or where we go, we can never be far from God’s comforting presence. (See Romans 8:35-39) A psalmist says God is always near. (read Psalm 139) We can never hide from God’s eyes. God notices everything I do and everywhere I go. Before I even speak a word, He knows what I will say and with His powerful arms He protects me from every side. (see Psalm 139: 1-5) We deepen our faith and trust in God and pray. “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. (Psalm 139:23-24)