In a week where Obama asked Xi Jinping to curtail Chinese cyber espionage and allow freer access to the internet it has been revealed that the US is tapping into our phone calls and emails!

The American public have been reassured that “nobody is listening to your calls” which may be reassuring for the folks at home but leaves a few questions to be answered if you don’t live in the US!

Interestingly the whistle blower, Edward Snowden, has fled to China – Hong Kong to be precise, where he has been feeding the Guardian newspaper with some of the data he took with him from his job in the National Security Agency of the USA where he was contracted by a security firm. Snowden had top secret clearance enabling him to see the full extent of the surveillance. Rather like Julian Assange of Wiki Leaks back in 2010 who, in the interests of free speech, made public classified material via his many websites, Snowden’s aim has been to reveal the “architecture of oppression” before it gets even more draconian!

The noble idea of revealing “Big Brother” before he can do more harm has not been done without some personal cost as Snowden is now in hiding in Hong Kong from where he could be extradited although that may be a right which the US may decide to forego!

In the meantime the NSA continues their data-trawling through the records of companies such as Google, Amazon, Microsoft and Facebook allegedly looking for signs of terrorist activity.

Both nations are at it. A bit like the pot calling the kettle black!

Jesus never concealed the fact that our words are important. What we say is an index to what we believe. He went further stating that the record would be produced on Judgement day when each one will be called to give an account (St Matthew chapter 12 verses 35-37).

So what we now know is that there are two scrutineers; one earthly and one heavenly. It is a sobering thought that this blog will be recorded by one if not both of them. And by extension so will all our emails, phone calls, texting…

The Psalmist drew comfort from the fact that the Lord knew even his words before they were spoken (Psalm 139 verses 1-6). The transparency, so lacking in earthly communication, is present – crystal clear – to heaven. In the final analysis this is the only one which matters.

The Psalmist ends with the only response possible – full disclosure!

Search me, O God, and know my heart!
    Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any grievous way in me,
    and lead me in the way everlasting!