God Who Sees

Dear Sisters,

Good morning! How are you? I pray yours days are filled with reflection and expectation as we near the celebration of His birth and the anticipation of His second coming! Jan posted a wonderful blog about Advent on December 1.
Check it out here: http://www.gemsgc.org/blog/?p=309

Have a blessed week!

GOD WHO SEES

The eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love. Psalm 34:18

Growing up I spent countless hours with Pa, Ma, Mary, Laura, and Carrie Ingalls. I read all the Little House on the Prairie books, watched the TV series, and my folks even brought our family to Walnut Grove, Minnesota to touch and see the place that Laura used to call home.

It’s through the Little House TV series that I learned about peripheral vision. Laura, a teacher at the time, was writing on the chalkboard with her back toward the class. One of the boys did something wrong and if I remember correctly he blamed Willie for it. But Laura knew Willie didn’t do it because she saw the culprit through her peripheral vision.

Pe•riph•er•al: at or relating to the edge of something, as opposed to its center

Have you ever prayed about your marriage, your work, your church, or your health and wondered if you were in God’s peripheral vision or worse yet, out of His sight completely? Maybe you’ve prayed for the poverty in Kanyama, Zambia, the bloodshed in abortion clinics, or the abused children in suburbia and wondered if He is fully seeing the critical need for a Deliverer?

Hagar must’ve wondered the same thing. When God showed Himself to her she responded with gratitude and praise. She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me” (Genesis 16:13).

Our prayers must not be based on wondering if God sees our needs, or feeling like He’s somehow been blinded to our situation. Instead our prayers must be rooted in Truth. We pray to El Roi – the God Who Sees!

From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind; from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth – he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do. The eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love (Psalm 33:13-15, 18).

He sees everything that is happening in our lives. Not from the peripheral, squinting to try and figure out our needs. No! He’s up close and personal. The Lord is near (Philippians 4:5). He is God with us – Immanuel (Matthew 1:23).

Prayer Step: Think about the hurt nearest your heart and pray this Scripture prayer. El Roi, You look down and see _______________________; from Your dwelling place You watch __________________. Your eyes are on me, on all those whose hope is in Your unfailing love. Thank You, El Roi. I love You! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

God sees hearts as we see faces. George Herbert

Grace and peace,
Lenae