Day 16: Psalm 33:18
“But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love.”
Let’s be brutally honest today. If someone promised you Ksh100,000, would you hope in them because of their honesty, or because of the promise of money?
What if you were desperately in need of a job, and someone hinted that they may know of an opportunity? Would you place your hope in them because of their promise, or because of their character?
How often have we focused on the gift rather than the Giver—placing our hope in God only because of what He can give us, instead of who He is?
When we started the autism journey, I was determined to sort things out quickly so that my child could live a normal life. At first, things went well, but then they started to go haywire. I had to keep changing therapists, going for different assessments, and exploring various educational options—and through it all, God would provide the funds. Yet the challenge persisted. The issues were not getting sorted out as quickly as I had wanted them to.
This went on until one day I stopped to ask, “Have I really involved God in this journey? Who is taking the lead here?” It was at that moment I realized I was more focused on fixing my child— the gift—rather than on what God, in His wisdom, had intended for him. I was not allowing God to be God in his life.
So I stepped back and put my hope in God, trusting Him because of who He is and how He was going to display His glory through my child.
Today’s verse reminds us that His eyes are on those who put their hope in His unfailing love—not His blessings, not His gifts, but Him. When we place our hope in God, He looks on us with favor. When we step back and allow Him to step in, we finally see what He has always been doing in our lives.
And I can testify that this is true.
Reflection
Our desperate needs often alter our view of God, leading us to see Him either as a helper when He answers our prayers, or as an obstacle when He doesn’t. God is, however, leading us to place our hope in Him because of who He is. Loving. Faithful. Powerful. Sovereign. Trustworthy. And most importantly, He is God.
Prayer
Lord, forgive me for the many times I have looked to You merely as a source rather than as a Father. Forgive me for focusing on Your gifts instead of on You. Teach me to treasure You and to place my hope in You because of who You are. Amen.