And now, behold, my witness is in Heaven; and my record is on high. Job 16:19
London police collected all of the video camera evidence they could find from the security cameras located in the areas hit by the vandals and looters during major rioting that hit the city some years ago. As a result of posting the videos on the Internet, police received many thousands of responses from people who were able to identify the people who had smashed cars, broken into stores and plundered their wares, and had set fires and thrown bricks and firebombs. Those thugs and thieves had rampaged heedless of the possibility of being caught on video, never stopping to think of the consequences of their evil actions. All those cameras in London were able to capture much of the mayhem that the criminals caused, but they didn’t catch it all. Not like God’s great record-keeping system in Heaven, which has captured every second of each of our lives, along with every word, thought, and deed along the way. That thought can be both a comfort and a concern for the Christian.
A friend handed me a cup of cold water the other day and jokingly asked, ‘Do I get a reward for this?’ I answered, also jokingly, ‘Only if you’re not expecting one’. How many cups of cold water have you handed out since you were saved? God’s system has a record of every one, and Jesus has assured us that every one has its reward. There are times when we wonder whether anybody notices how much we do to help others, how much we give, how much we support, how much we pray, how much we do that is good and noble. Be assured that God knows, even when we are discouraged at the thanklessness of others. His system has not missed a single item. And He will faithfully acknowledge it all one day.
But God’s great record also includes those things we hope or think others have missed. He has on our account each missed opportunity to witness for Him, each idle word spoken, each misstep we have made in our walk for the Lord. Everything is known to Him, even though nobody else knows our little secret sins and follies. The record on high is accurate and complete in every detail, and should remind us to keep ourselves within the bounds of holiness and faithful service for our Lord.
Does the knowledge that your life is an open book to God give you comfort or cause you concern? You can’t undo what is past. But you can make sure that the record from now onward is a record that you will be glad to have opened and viewed. -Jim MacIntosh