Francis de Sales: Living in God’s Presence, Part 3

“…Consider our Savior in His humanity looking down from heaven on all mankind, but especially on Christians, who are His children; and more particularly on such as are at prayer, whose actions and behavior He minutely observes.” ¹

In this four-part series, we are examining Francis de Sales’ recommendations for how to be aware of God and live in the consciousness of His presence at all times. Now de Sales gives us a third means to placing ourselves in God’s presence, and this is to remind ourselves that God is paying attention. He is watching us, observing what we will do with the life he has given us.

De Sales says that God is particularly observant of us when we are praying; that he is “minutely observing” our actions and behavior. What a sobering idea! And how different from our often hazy belief that God is up there somewhere and we hope he hears and answers. I don’t know about you, but picturing God with his ear cocked toward me and his eyes focused on me compels me to action. To honesty. To fervency.

Psalm 11: 4-5 says,

The Lord is in his holy temple;
    the Lord is on his heavenly throne.
He observes everyone on earth;
    his eyes examine them.
The Lord examines the righteous,
    but the wicked, those who love violence,
    he hates with a passion.

God is paying attention. He sees and knows all. He understands our humanity, our tendency toward complacency, our self-centeredness. But he also delights in our every prayer, our every move toward him. Look up to him today. He is waiting.

Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly;
though lofty, he sees them from afar. (Psalm 138:6)

¹De Sales, Francis. A Devout Life. Public Domain.