Proverbs 15 has many powerful verses. “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and on the good” (verse 3). Our chapters in Numbers illustrate how the LORD was watching over Israel as they moved closer to the promised land, but those who were not conscious of His all-seeing eyes perished through their lack of godliness, although the end of their journey was close.

Our Ephesians reading uses “eyes” in an interesting and challenging way. Paul commends the believers, “I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints (i.e. fellow-believers) … remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, and what are the riches of his glorious inheritance …” (1:15-18). This is more than intellectual ‘knowing’.

Do our hearts have “eyes” to see the unseen presence of God? Do we really believe in the power of prayer? If we do not have “eyes” of this nature, then we do not really know “the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe” (verse 19)?

Returning to Proverbs we need to meditate on the positive ways of thinking described there. “A gentle (or healing) tongue is a tree of life” (verse 4). “The lips of the wise spread knowledge” (verse 7), that is, knowledge of God. “Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure …” (verse 16). “He who is slow to anger quiets contention” (verse 18). “The ear that listens to life giving reproof will dwell among the wise” (verse 31).

And the final verse, “The fear (awe) of the LORD is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honour”. All who follow these principles in their lives are surely aware that “the eyes of the LORD are in every place”.