"It is a land the LORD your God cares for; the eyes of the LORD your God are continually on it from the beginning of the year to its end." (Deuteronomy 11:12 NIV).

Moses reminds the people of Israel that the promised land they were to possess in the new year would be one that the Lord cares for and continually watches over. His eyes are on it "from the beginning of the year to its end." It is good to know that the Lord has an eye for where His people are going. He is personally interested in the ground we take. He sees the challenges ahead and is concerned for the outcome of our future battles.

We need to be reminded of God's promises. David writes: "The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me." (Psalm 138:8 NIV). Paul confidently assures us that "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" and "The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it." (Philippians 1:6, 1Thessalonians 5:24 NIV). After commissioning His disciples to go into all the world with the gospel, Jesus comforted his disciples, saying "surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:20 NIV).

Not only does the Lord see the territory that lies ahead but He assures us that His eyes are on us as well. He is concerned how we will spend the next 525,600 minutes called 1998. Nothing will escape his attention.

Shady deals, bitterness, lewdness, gossip, sexual impurity, dishonesty, and selfish greed will not escape His attention. What is it that you would not do if Jesus lived in your house? It would do us good to have our consciences sensitized to the fact that His eyes are on us continually. "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." (Hebrews 4:13 NIV).

When you rise in the morning- don't forget the eyes of the Lord are on you. When you serve out of love, the eyes of the Lord are on you. When you are tempted to sin, remember the eyes of the Lord are on you. When another person gets the credit, or promotion that you deserve, remember that the eyes of the Lord are upon you.

He knows our inward thoughts as well as our outward actions. He knows the motions of my mind as well as those of my body. He knows when I am stuck in self pity, when I am sinking in lowly self renunciation or whether I am ascending in pride. (See Psalm 139:1-3).

The Lord sees and knows what is in our hearts. He notices the little things that otherwise go unnoticed. He observes every cup of cold water we offer in His name. He takes note of how we treat our brothers and sisters. One day He will say to faithful servants, "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me."

His hearers replied: "When did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and take you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?"

Jesus' explained, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." The eyes of the Lord are upon us. (See Matthew 25:35-40 NIV)

Be assured of His promises for the new year: He sees. He knows. He cares.