God Looks Down, But We Don’t Look Up
Reflections on Psalm 14:2
Yesterday, I went to chapel at my daughter’s school.
It took me a while to find her in the giant stadium—probably didn’t help that I was a few minutes late. After anxiously scanning every section, I finally spotted her in the arms of her teacher. She looked sad. But when I scaled the stadium stairs in the dark to sit next to her, she saw me, she came straight to my lap and melted into my arms.
Later, during lunch, I asked her how she felt—because, let’s be honest, good dads ask those kinds of questions. She told me, in her tiny voice, that she was sad I wasn’t there at the start. She said, “I thought maybe you weren’t going to come.”
Y’all… she’s not even five yet and already holding me accountable to my word. I promised her days before I would be there.
But there’s another truth hidden in that moment—one that resonates deeply with today’s Psalm:
Just as I will always (Lord willing) pursue my daughter, God pursues us.
“The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.”
— Psalm 14:2 (NIV)
When I read this verse, I circled seek and went into further study about the Psalm and how we seek God. Psalm 14 isn’t just a poetic lament—it’s a divine inspection. God looks down from heaven, scanning the earth to see: Is anyone seeking Me?
According to Dr. Thomas Constable, Psalm 14 confronts the dangerous illusion that mankind can manage the world better than God. The “fools” in this psalm are not just atheists—they are the self-reliant, the arrogant, those who reorder life for their benefit at the expense of the weak. But the psalm reminds us that God’s design includes built-in protections for the vulnerable. That can’t be mocked. His justice still stands.
Does anyone seek God?
The Hebrew verb translated “looks down” in Psalm 14:2 carries the meaning of bending down—as if God is leaning in, actively searching for hearts turned toward Him. But the sobering truth is this: on our own, none of us seeks God.
That may sound harsh or even manipulative, but Scripture backs it up:
“There is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God.”
— Romans 3:11
We’re not naturally drawn to God—we’re naturally drawn to ourselves. We want our way, not His. Psalm 14 and Romans 3 agree: no one seeks God unless He seeks them first.
This is why John 6:44 is so important:
“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them.”
Following Jesus doesn’t start with a decision—it starts with God’s Spirit pulling on your heart. He draws. He calls. He knocks.
I believe in this so much that the verse etched inside my wedding ring reminds me of this truth every day:
“We love because He first loved us.”
— 1 John 4:19
Before I could say “Jesus,” before I even knew what love meant—He loved me first. That’s the beginning of faith, always.
But what about those who don’t choose Him?
Here’s the honest and beautiful answer: God still seeks them.
John 3:16 makes it clear:
“For God so loved the world…”
That includes the ones who reject Him. That includes the rebellious, the stubborn, the indifferent. God’s love is wide. His invitation is real. But He also honors our choice not to respond.
Think of it like a birthday party where everyone is invited. Some say yes. Some say no. You can’t force someone to come—that wouldn’t be love. It would be control.
That’s why free will matters. It’s woven into the design of creation like gravity or light. Love must be chosen—or it’s not love at all.
God tells us His heart in Ezekiel 33:11:
“‘As surely as I live,’ declares the Sovereign Lord, ‘I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways!’”
God doesn't enjoy judgment. He wants everyone to turn and live. That’s His heart, even toward those who resist Him.
In short:
We don’t seek God on our own.
We are drawn in by love.
We respond to the God who sought us first.
He’s the Hero of your story—not you.
He knocks. We open.
He invites. We choose.
Free will doesn’t limit His love—it proves it’s real.
Never Finished Challenge:
Write out Psalm 14:2 and Romans 3:11.
Then pause and thank God for seeking you first.
Ask Him to help you see those around you with the same heart—those who don’t seek Him yet—and love like He does.
What does today say about God?
Whether my daughters love me back or not, I love them—and I will pursue them.
Why? Because I’m their dad.
But God loves me with a love far greater than mine could ever be.
As I write this, I’m reminded of a verse that always humbles me:
“As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”
— Psalm 103:12
This is the kind of love we’re drawn into—not earned, not forced, not revoked. It’s simply given. Freely.
Since my girls were born, I’ve spoken this over them:
“No matter what you do, I will always love you. You don’t have to do anything to earn my love. I love you.”
That statement isn’t just a dad thing.
It’s a reflection of what God has shown me.
He is the ultimate picture of love.
The true Father.
The faithful Friend.
The righteous King.
Thank you, Jesus.