You walk into a room where you know there is a young child, but it is eerily quiet. As you enter, the startled little one looks up at you with a priceless face that says, “Oh dear. She caught me. Now what do I do?” It might be a mess in the room, paint where paint doesn’t belong, a face full of makeup or worse, marker. She thought she was pulling it off until you walked into the room. Busted!

As you look at her, you may be disappointed, frustrated at what it will take to restore order to the room or to clean her up. But that face. Can you picture it? She knows she’s disappointed you and the look of remorse can touch your heart. You do everything you can to keep her safe and guide her in her growing and learning because you love her so dearly. But you also know she needs to learn. And when she fails, then what? Do you turn your back and leave her to her self-created mess? No. You’re right there with her and for her with a loving response that helps her learn.

As you and I read today’s verses, we can feel like that little one. How does it make you feel to be reminded that the LORD knows every thought, every action, every step, every word, even before it happens? Busted? It is incomprehensible to us that God has that kind of knowledge of every single person including you and me. If another person knew even some of this, especially some of our private thoughts and struggles, the shame or embarrassment would be overwhelming.

But this is not another person. This is our God, our Father, our LORD. The one who created us—formed us in our mother’s womb. He looks at us through what Jesus has done for us. His eyes are full of love. His heart is full of forgiveness. We can be at complete peace because of that forgiveness. We can be comforted knowing that no matter what happens, God’s loving hand is on us. He’s always with us, never leaving us alone to face the world and our own sinfulness. He looks at us as a father looks lovingly at his child. We are indeed, his own dear children.

As you look at her, she can see the look of love on your face. Her relief shows in her eyes. As you wrap your arms around her, she is comforted by your loving embrace. So it is with us. God does indeed know everything—the good, the bad, and the really bad. And still he loves us. He knows weaknesses in us that others may never know. And still he loves us. He is our peace, our comfort, our reassurance, our heavenly Father, our Savior. The look of love on his face gives us peace, relief, joy in him.