Mark well that God doesn’t miss a move you make;
he’s aware of every step you take.
Proverbs 5: 21 The Message
“Steps” is one of Jeana’s favorite applications on her smartphone and watch. It keeps track of how many steps she walks in a given day. Some days, it is only a few thousand. Other days, she records over 20,000 steps! It is somewhat mind-boggling to imagine that a device in a watch is capable of counting each and every step we take, but that is what it purports to do.
In spite of a smartphone’s capability, the “Steps” application is not infallible. Sometimes, it will record things as steps which were not walking movements, like a bumpy ride on a snowmobile.
However, there is one infallible counter of each and every one of our steps, regardless of whether or not we are carrying a smartphone. Yes, God keeps track of each and every one of our steps. He knows where each step was taken, and what steps we will be taking. We can choose, but he knows what our choices will be. Whether we were scurrying in a hurry, or casually strolling at a leisurely pace, He is with us every moment. There is no place we can go where God is not with us, and watching over us.
I find this truth to be very comforting. While we may not always walk WITH God (as in having an on-going, close relationship with Him), the truth is that we can never walk AWAY from God. Even when people try to run away from God, the Lord still watches over them. There are examples in the scripture of some trying to hide from God, to no avail.
What’s more, sometimes even the person who seems farthest from God can return and walk alongside the Lord again. He really does welcome home prodigals! Franklin Graham, the oldest son of the late evangelist Billy Graham, knows this truth. Although once a prodigal, he found God was watching over him. After he went far from home to Europe to try to escape the Almighty and his father’s legacy, He realized God was still with him. The Lord had not given up on him. He now carries on an evangelism world-wide and is the founder of the Samaritan’s Purse ministry.
So, when you are walking or even running through your daily life, remember that God never needs to catch up with you. He is your personal counter, and he never gets it wrong. Even as he knows the number of hairs we have (or had!) on our head, he is that detailed. God cares personally about every one of us. He loves us, watches over us, and wants the very best for us. The truth is that the Lord watches us more carefully than we even watch ourselves. Wow!
Prayer
Lord of every road, and every path,
Guide my steps, while I walk this race called life. Help me to remember that You are always with me. You keep a constant watch, vigilantly looking out for me, as I walk from place to place. You watch me when I walk into church sanctuaries, and into the most secular of venues. Your love is inescapable, and all-encompassing. Let me never forget your constant, faithful love. I pray this prayer in Jesus’ name. Amen.
