Sometimes as we travel along the road of life, we not only have to keep our eyes on the path ahead of us, we also have to be extra alert to who or what is behind us.
Criminals count on us to not watch our back so they can catch us off guard and do us harm. Once, when I was in college, I was being followed down the street by a strange man who locked in on me as if he had me on radar. I took a circuitous route through a nearby mall and kept watching my back until I was finally able to elude him.
Automobile manufacturers understand the critical importance of being able to "watch your back", which is why they install rear view mirrors. In fact, a car will not even pass a safety inspection if it does not have a rear view mirror.
Most of the time, when we think of watching our back, we think of looking out for danger. Thankfully, God's ways are not our ways and He has given us two positive, comforting things to look for when we watch our backs: Goodness and Mercy.
The 23rd Psalm declares, "surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life...." When we allow the Lord to be our shepherd, not only does He order our steps toward a glorious future, He gurantees that goodness and mercy will track us down and stay with us, watching our back all the days of our life. That's good news!
When I'm going through a tough time or facing a situation that seems hopeless, I can look back and see God's goodness shining all throughout my history, reminding me that God causes all things to work together for my good.
When I'm caught up in trouble from my own doing, God's mercy keeps me from receiving the consequence I deserve, as He provides me with a way out of no way.
Regardless of what this world sends to frighten me off the path God has for me, with God on my side I don't have to walk a circuitous path like I did to shake off that stranger. I can walk the straight and narrow and keep looking up because God is watching my back.
And, as God watches my back, I don't have to watch it so closely. All I have to do is keep watching God.
BNcouraged!
Rev. Karen
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