My friend is having heart surgery today, so I am praying. I find myself praying that the doctors operating on him and those caring for him both pre-op and post -op will be especially vigilant and alert to everything taking place with him at all times. I pray that nothing will escape their notice with regard to my friend before, during and after the surgery, that everything will be properly attended to, that nothing will be left undone that can and should be done for my friend.

In other words, I am praying that nothing will be missed with regard to his care, that nothing will fall through the cracks, as we say. I pray all this because we are human, fallible human beings. That’s the reason “fall through the cracks” is even an expression in the first place – we can’t control everything, we don’t have all knowledge, we don’t have all power and we make mistakes. Which explains my prayer for my friend today – that nothing will be overlooked or go unnoticed in the care of my friend during his surgery today.

As I was praying, bringing this what I consider to be, rather urgent request, before my Heavenly Father, calling my friend’s situation to God’s attention, so to speak – I experienced the most comforting “light bulb moment” of revelation with these words of Jesus coming to my mind –

“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the notice of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:29-31)

Other translations say “without your Father’s knowledge,” “without your Father’s permission,” or “apart from the will of your Father.” The Contemporary English Version says – “But your Father knows when any one of them (sparrows) falls to the ground.” Incredible! God isn’t unaware of my friend’s plight or his current need. If God knows when a sparrow dies, He certainly knows what is going on with you and with me every moment of every day. Job acknowledged as much when He was crying out to God and couldn’t find God. Yet even then, Job said this about God –

“But He (God) knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” (Job 23:10)

This is remarkable because previously Job had lamented – “But if I go to the east, He (God) is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find Him. When He is at work in the north, I do not see Him; when He turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of Him.” (Job 23:8-9)

Even though Job felt he had lost track of God, Job knew that God had not lost track of him. God knew what was happening to Job and God was with Job through it all. After all, as God’s word says, we “are worth more than many sparrows” and God doesn’t lose track of a single sparrow! God has not lost track of my friend, or of my friend’s needs in this hour of his surgery. How ironic! I was worried that something important to my friend’s care might be overlooked, and I was praying to the God who misses nothing! I mean nothing! Nothing gets by Him. Nothing and no one escapes His compassionate notice – not even the death of one solitary sparrow.

This is perfect surveillance in action. I read what this looks like in Psalm 139 –

“O Lord, You have searched me and You know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; You perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; You are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue You know it completely, O Lord. You hem me in – behind and before; You have laid Your hand upon me.”

Pretty perfect surveillance – wouldn’t you agree? But there’s more – it gets better.

“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, You are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,’ even the darkness will not be dark to You; the night will shine like the day, for the darkness is as light to You.” (Psalm 139:1-5, 7-12)

My Heavenly Father’s watchcare is complete – His surveillance is perfect – He misses nothing. Nothing happens apart from His notice nor apart from His perfect will. God’s sovereign surveillance of me is for my good – He has “plans to prosper me and not to harm me.” I read in Isaiah these words about His intentions –

“Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion.” (Isaiah 30:18)

And these words in Psalms –

“He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” (Psalm 91:4)

I can be at peace knowing that my Heavenly Father is omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient – it is God’s perfect surveillance of me and of this world that gives me hope even while this world continues to be chaotic and dangerous due to our human choices to pursue our own ways instead of God’s ways and wisdom. I am comforted by these words from Psalm 121 –

“He will not let your foot slip – He who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you – The Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm – He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” (Psalm 121:3-8)

now that’s perfect surveillance!

sincerely, Grace Day