God as company... who would have thought?

"Living becomes an awesome business when you realize that you spend every moment of your life in the sight & company of an omniscient omnipresent Creator." -J.I. Packer "Knowing God"
How my life could have been so different had I known that God WANTED to be present to me, that He desired to keep company with me. Being raised with the threat of "God is always watching" gave me no delight nor a longing to press into His presence. Instead, I became resentful, rebellious, & at one point in my life, wild. Why would I want or even bother with a God who was simply watching me to make sure I didn't screw up?
I read the above quote this morning during my time in the presence of God, which by the way took YEARS & is still a struggle because all I have ever known is shame & guilt as a result of "God always watching"... I read that statement over & over again because even now in my adult life I needed to hear it. I needed know it! It felt like a truth my soul had been longing for! Knowing that my Creator isn't just watching me but that I am in His sight! To watch is to restraint something or someone.... but to have sight is to have the power of seeing someone! He sees me. Every day He sees me & chooses to keep company with me. I don't know who needs to hear this word today, but I pray it brings you the profound freedom it brought me & the rebellious young girl I once knew. I am certain I hear old chains fall off this morning!