For the first time in my life, I was on the jumbo screen at a major league ballpark!  It happened just a week ago.

It’s not like this was a “bucket list” accomplishment – a crowning achievement I always dreamed of doing – but it was a first nevertheless.

To be fair, my son was also on the screen.  In fact, he has already argued that the focus of the camera was on him, and not on me.  (He may be right.)  Though we were both clearly and closely displayed as the 30,000 or so fans in attendance sang “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” during the “seventh inning stretch” at the Seattle Mariners game.

If you have ever been at a stadium for a professional game, you have seen the shots of different fans on the huge “jumbotron.”  Almost without fail, as soon as the people displayed on the screen see themselves, they lose all semblance of self-control – typically jumping up-and-down, yelling at their companions, pointing wildly at the screen and waving hysterically. 

For the record, I did none of those things except yell at my son, “We’re on the screen,” and wave calmly.  (Okay, I guess technically that is actually some of those things.)

An interesting sidenote – and this is the absolute truth – I had already decided that evening that this week’s blog post was going to be about being on the big screens in ballparks.  And then we were actually on it ourselves!  I took that as an affirmation from the Lord that this should indeed be my focus this week.

The first thing we need to agree upon is this: people are always incredibly excited when they appear on the video screen at a stadium.  Without exception, the people displayed respond excitedly, joyfully, and animatedly. They beam; they preen; they smile; they gleam!  They strut and bounce and gesture excitedly.  They laugh.  It’s like they have never been happier; their day is made!  In fact, it almost seems as if their life is now fulfilled.

I realize those are some radical descriptions, but if you have ever watched the people displayed on the jumbo screen – and if you have ever been at a ballgame, you have indeed watched – then you recognize my descriptions are apt.

In fact, organizations realize that showing fans for all to see is one of the favorite parts of the ballpark experience.  Don’t do it and people would miss it.  Probably miss it badly.  Don’t do it and the team itself is missing out on a major fun factor for the crowd.

If you doubt the importance people put on the fans pictured on the giant monitor, consider this.  I found it nearly impossible to find any pictures of jumbo screens displaying people waving.  Locating pictures of almost anything usually isn’t difficult.  But I found virtually none of fans on stadium boards.  There were plenty of shots of players, but hardly any of fans.

I wondered why this would be.  My conclusion: everyone is watching the screen devotedly to see if they make it onto the screen, or to watch the antics of those who do make it, so no one ever takes the time to take any pictures of people on the screen!  (I’m not sure if that’s actually the reason, but that’s my theory and I’m sticking to it.)

So why are we even discussing this at all?  Why did I decide to center this post on the huge video boards at stadiums?  What struck me during the recent Mariners game is this thought: we are always on God’s jumbo screen!  We are always in his view!

What does that mean to us?  It means we can be extremely excited.  Animated even.  Joyful! 

No matter our situation, God has us in huge-screen focus.  Even if we are alone or lonely; troubled, struggling or discouraged; beaten down, exhausted and weak; uncertain, scared or in danger, the loving Lord has us in view.  And he doesn’t just watch us, he actively intervenes in our lives!

As the psalmist clearly states, “But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him [that is, honor him], on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them … We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.  In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name” (Psalm 33:18-21).

The concept is repeated throughout the Scriptures.  (See 2 Chron. 16:9, Ps. 34:15, Prov. 15:3, and 1 Pet. 3:12.)  The Lord’s loving eyes are always on us; we are constantly displayed on his personal “big screen!”

So wave to Him.  Jump up and down excitedly!  Overflow with obvious and abundant joy … always!  Because our loving Lord has you and me always in view.

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Psalm 139:1-18

You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you.