“You are the God who sees me…”

“I have now seen the One who sees me.”

Genesis 16:13

When you feel as though no one knows the depth of pain, do not despair. There is One who sees.  You are not alone, for God sees you and knows your needs.  In the Old Testament we read how God’s angel met Hagar in the desert as she fled from the cruelty of Sarah. God meets us where we are and gently cares for our needs as well.  Whether we are experiencing an overwhelming day or going through a life-changing tragedy, we can rest assured that our God sees.  Perhaps you have been unfairly treated and think no one understands, God sees and He understands.

We are not invisible to God.  Just as Hagar was comforted by God, so we can find our comfort in knowing that God sees all. It’s easy to think that when bad things happen, God doesn’t see our situation or care about our problems. Be patient. Wait on Him. Have faith in the God who sees and has a plan that is bigger and more eternal than we can imagine.

This is an excerpt from Pursuing God in the Quiet Places.

It seems as though every time I turn on the news during the month of May, I hear the reports of storms and tornadoes across the nation. Without a doubt we are in the midst of storm season. During the storms of life, how do we maintain the hope that the sun will shine again? God’s Word brings comfort to our weary hearts. When our discouragements appear to be carrying us downstream, we have an anchor in Scripture.

Consider Jeremiah who was at his lowest point, yet he was able to look upward as he remembered the goodness of the Lord. Here’s what we read in Lamentations 3:

He has broken my teeth with gravel;
    he has trampled me in the dust.
¹⁷ I have been deprived of peace;
    I have forgotten what prosperity is.
¹⁸ So I say, “My splendor is gone
    and all that I had hoped from the Lord.”

¹⁹ I remember my affliction and my wandering,
    the bitterness and the gall.
²⁰ I well remember them,
    and my soul is downcast within me.
²¹ Yet this I call to mind
    and therefore I have hope:

²² Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassions never fail.
²³ They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
²⁴ I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
    therefore I will wait for him.”

²⁵ The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,
    to the one who seeks him;
²⁶ it is good to wait quietly
    for the salvation of the Lord.

Hope came to Jeremiah as he recalled the Lord’s great love. How do we recall the Lord’s great love for us? By reading His love letters! May your heart be encourage through the hope that He brings by the promises of love in His Word and by the comfort of His Spirit.

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 You gave abundant showers, O God;  you refreshed your weary inheritance.         Psalm 68:9

Dallas weather has been crazy lately. Although it seems as though we have had constant rain for weeks, we are actually thankful for it. When you’ve been through periods of draught, you learn to count the rain as a gift from God to renew and refresh the dry and thirsty land.

God is the giver of refreshing rain. In Psalm 68 we read that He gave abundant showers to the Israelites to refresh them. God provided for His people in the wilderness. He was the one who met their needs. Now, keep in mind He also allowed them to go through the wilderness and experience dry times in their lives.

There are times when we may feel weary physically or dried up emotionally or worn out spiritually. Although we may go through the wilderness, we also know that it will not last forever. God does not leave us alone in our dry times. Do not lose heart, for the God who allowed his people to dwell in the wilderness also sent abundant showers and refreshing rain to His weary inheritance. Look to the Lord. He is the one who offers restoration to tired souls. Ask Him for abundant showers to not only cleanse you, but to refresh and heal you.

As we celebrated Mother’s Day this last weekend, I love to think about moms as seed planters. Moms sow into the lives of the next generation through their words and example. ALL of us are seed planters as we bless and strengthen the people around us with our words of hope and love. Every day we have the opportunity to sow into the lives of others not only in conversation, but through social media and email as well.

What kind of seeds are you planting? The most fruitful seeds are sown with God’s grace-filled love toward others. If we have a righteous point we want to make, but do not sow the seeds with love, they most often will fall on deaf ears or rocky soil. Let us be planters of good words, lovingly and gracefully sowing the seeds of God’s word to the people around us.

Ask the Lord to love others through you today. It may be a stranger in the checkout line or a rebellious child or a difficult neighbor.  Love the one in front of you by planting good seeds that will grow into a beautiful harvest in the lives of others.

Happy planting.