The scandal over National Security
Agency snooping continues to evolve. A recent report showed that the NSA had
violated privacy rules and overstepped its authority thousands of times while gathering foreign intelligence. It is attributed
to violations of standard operating procedure and significant compliance
problems. The issues may affect international relations, especially with
Germany. And even more tracking has been revealed. Another report indicates
that the NSA can track 75% of Internet traffic including phone calls made on
the Internet.The scandal has many people a bit nervous about government intrusion, especially when the NSA has been called the most powerful institution in the world. Many are wondering just what personal information might be seen and heard by strangers. But there’s another, more powerful, entity who sees all our secrets, and that should make some people really squirm.
The Bible says, “For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7) “He knows the secrets of the heart,” according to Psalm 44:21. “O God, You know my foolishness,” wrote the Psalmist, “And my sins are not hidden from You.” (Psalm 69:5)
One can perhaps elude NSA surveillance by never using cell phones or the Internet, but there’s no place to escape an omniscient God. As the saying goes, You can run, but you can’t hide! “‘Can anyone hide himself in secret places, so I shall not see him?’ says the Lord; ‘Do I not fill heaven and earth?’” (Jeremiah 23:24)
The NSA may never use much of the information it gathers, but the actions and thoughts seen by God will have repercussions. “For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.” (Ecclesiastes 9:14) “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” Hebrews 4:13
The Good News is that there is a way to avoid the consequences. “I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.” (Psalm 32:5)
“But this Man (Jesus Christ), after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God… For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before, ‘This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days,’ says the Lord: ‘I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,’ then He adds, ‘Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.’” (Hebrews 10:12, 14-17) God sees all our sins, but once we put our trust in Christ, the evidence is destroyed and He forgets they ever existed!
There’s an upside to our deepest secrets being revealed: God doesn’t’ just see the bad, He sees the good things, too.
He saw us before we were even born, and knows us more intimately than anyone else. “My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.” (Psalm 139:5)
God knows our secret desires and the pain we can’t share with anyone else. He hears our heart’s cry. “Lord, all my desire is before You; And my sighing is not hidden from You. My heart pants, and my strength fails me … My loved ones and my friends stand aloof … For in You, O Lord, I hope; You will hear, O Lord my God.” (Psalm 38:9-11, 15)
God rewards what may not have public recognition and promises to answer our prayers. “But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly. … But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” (Matthew 6: 3, 4 & 6)
Government spying on unsuspecting citizens might not always seem like a good idea, but God’s knowledge of all our secrets is always to our benefit. It points us to the need for salvation through Christ and the promise of His love, care and blessings.
Gayle Virkler
