Bible Reading: Psalms 33:13-15; 139:7-12

Graham held very still when his mom came outside, hoping she wouldn't see him. He loved to hide in the old apple tree. When he peeked through the leaves and branches, he could see Mom in the yard below. He could see Tabby, Mrs. Underwood's cat, creeping through the grass next door. He could see Brie playing with her friend across the street. But no one on the ground could see him.

"Graham! Brie!" Mom called. "Lunch will be ready soon--you have about five minutes left to play." She went back into the house.

Graham didn't feel like coming down just yet. He lay on a branch, stretched out flat on his stomach. He watched a blue jay land by the fence. He watched Mrs. Underwood come out onto her back porch and call Tabby. He watched a red pickup truck drive down the street.

When Mom came out a little later, Graham was still in the tree. "Kids!" Mom called. "Lunch is ready! Time to come in!" Graham swung down and dropped to the ground as Brie came running home.

"Surprise, Mom!" Graham said as he entered the kitchen. "I saw you when you came outside, but you couldn't see me! I saw you too, Brie. I could see everybody!" He grinned. "Kind of like how God watches us from up in heaven."

"Nah," said Brie. "God watches everybody in the whole wide world, all at once, all the time!" She grinned at her brother. "He was watching you while you were hiding and watching us."

"But that's not all," said Mom. "Unlike you in the tree, God doesn't hide from us, and He's never far away. He doesn't watch from a distance but is right here in this room! Because we trust Jesus as our Savior, the Holy Spirit is always with us, caring for us and watching over us."

"I guess we can say God is here, there, and everywhere," Brie said. "He always knows where we are and what we're doing. He knows everything about us."

"Then He must know I'm hungry!" Graham said as he sat down at the table. "What's for lunch?"

–Katherine E. Swarts