The family of a dear friend has lost a five year old to leukemia. How do you face that? How do you reconcile your world when it's been torn apart after a 14 month long battle with an enemy you can't really see. Watched your little one struggle and fight, only to succumb?
These are the thought I was grappling with as I drove down the road recently. Regrets for my life, sadness for my friends family....I certainly could have worked myself into quite the state, setting my mind and emotions for the rest of the day in a place of lowness. But God.....
God took a beautiful song, put it on the airwaves at just the right moment as He has done so many times and lifted me up. He comforted my heart and soothed the place of sadness. My circumstances aren't changing anytime soon. Pretty much feel as if only a miracle will do that, but I know that God is in control. And He sees what I face. He sees what that family faces. And He sees what you are facing as well.
And the Lord wasn't finish with His talking! I brought out my "Jesus Calling" devotional book, (I haven't read it in a while) and looked at the days message. The first line: "There is no place so desolate that you cannot find Me there." It referenced the verses in Genesis 16:7-14*, This tells the story of Hagar, Sarai's maid who had fled into the wilderness to escape the anger of her mistress. The Lord saw Hagar their, and sent a messenger to bring her words of comfort. Hagar called God, "El-roi." And it is my absolute favorite name for the Lord. It means, "You are the God who sees me."
The reason behind this blog was to keep a reminder for myself, and to encourage others to look for the times God visits us. To remind us all that He is the God who sees us. He doesn't desert us, doesn't view us with indifference or from a distance. He is very aware, very present, and very active in each of our lives.
We've begun the story of Joshua in our Sunday morning Bible studies. One of the key verses, or actually key themes of the first chapter is God reassuring Joshua of His continued presence. Joshua 1:9 This is my command--be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." Are you heavyhearted? Living in a place of sorrow due to your own wrong choices? Are you in a well of deep mourning over great loss? Living in a place a great difficulty that you never asked for, never thought you'd be in? God is there. He never leaves us nor forsakes us. That message is sent time and time again throughout the Scriptures, God's love letter to us.
And God reaffirmed this truth with a picture! Yesterday's mail came with a catalog for Christian merchandise....and on the cover.....
Is God amazing or what!! LOL He sees, He stays. He cares. He acts. That is our Lord.
*Genesis 16:6-14 Abram replied, “Look, she is your servant, so deal with her as you see fit.” Then Sarai treated Hagar so harshly that she finally ran away. The angel of the Lord found Hagar beside a spring of water in the wilderness, along the road to Shur. The angel said to her, “Hagar, Sarai’s servant, where have you come from, and where are you going?” “I’m running away from my mistress, Sarai,” she replied. The angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit to her authority.” Then he added, “I will give you more descendants than you can count.” And the angel also said, “You are now pregnant and will give birth to a son. You are to name him Ishmael (which means ‘God hears’), for the Lord has heard your cry of distress. This son of yours will be a wild man, as untamed as a wild donkey! He will raise his fist against everyone, and everyone will be against him. Yes, he will live in open hostility against all his relatives.” Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the Lord, who had spoken to her. She said, “You are the God who sees me.”[a] She also said, “Have I truly seen the One who sees me?” So that well was named Beer-lahai-roi (which means “well of the Living One who sees me”). It can still be found between Kadesh and Bered.
God doesn't promise us a life of ease, but He does promise He will be with us, He works for our good and His love will never fail us. Whether our circumstances are caused by our own making, like mine or through no fault of our own, like the death of a child...He sees. And He is in control. And nothing is without purpose. (That is a concept I struggle with time and again.)
Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
Jeremiah 31:3 Long ago the Lord said to Israel: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.
I pray now Lord, that You would surround Your children with Your love. Fill them with hope and peace and trust. We need You. We can't do this life without Your presence. In the darkness help us to see You are our light. We may be sad, but we remain safe in Your arms. We may have hardship but we will come out to a pleasant place of promise as we hold onto Your hand. I pray comfort for those who are hurting, suffering through life storms today. Thank You for Your everlasting love.
Just hold on. God isn't going anywhere.
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