November 1, 2013
God Sees You
Lori Fairchild
We hope you are enjoying the Girlfriends in God daily devotions. We (Mary, Sharon, and Gwen) would like to introduce you to some of our special friends. From time-to-time, the Friday devotions will be written by one of our friends in ministry. We call them our "Friday Friends." So grab your Bible and a fresh cup of coffee, and drink in the words from our "Friday Friend," Lori Fairchild.
Today’s Truth
She gave this name to the Lordwho 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).
Friend to Friend
Sometimes I feel invisible. Oh, it’s not that people don’t see me. They do. My girls see their mom. My husband sees his wife. My friends see someone they can have fun with and rely on. My Bible study sees its leader. My blog readers see a writer.
But sometimes I feel like no one sees me, the person underneath all those different hats. Sometimes, I fear I have become the roles I play and lost myself. Some days, I think that although I’m seen, no one really sees me.
No one sees the fears and insecurities that lie hidden away under those hats. No one sees the dreams and desires of my heart. No one sees the adventuresome spirit that longs to try something new, to strike out on some new adventure. No one sees me.
It’s amazing how we can fill our days with people, with activity, with things and yet get to the end of the day and feel as if we’re all alone. We show a smiling façade to the rest of the world, never letting them get past the surface to see to the heart of the person underneath. We let others see us, but we are never truly seen.
Yet one of the greatest needs we have is to be known by others. We want to live out the words of the theme song from Cheers, “You wanna go where everybody knows your name.” We want to be known.
The great news is that on those days when we feel as if no one sees us, on those days when we feel like our dreams are buried so deep that they will never see the light of day, God sees us. Even in our deepest, darkest moments, God sees us. He sees you.
He sees past every hat on your head, every mask you wear. He sees straight into your heart. He knows your biggest fears, your deepest needs, and your heart’s desire. He sees you.
In Genesis 16, Hagar calls God “The God Who Sees Me.” Hagar was in the midst of her darkest moment. She had been mistreated and cast out from her home. She was pregnant and alone. Yet in the midst of that darkness, of that aloneness, God spoke to her. He looked at her and said, “Hagar, I see you.” He not only saw Hagar but He promised that she would have a future, that her as-yet-unborn son would have a future. He saw her.
In the same way, God sees you. He doesn’t see the façade you present to the world. He doesn’t see the role you play. He sees the masterpiece He made. He sees a precious child of His. He sees all that you are and all that you will be. When no one else sees you, God does.
So, the next time you’re feeling invisible, the next time you feel all alone, remember that God sees you. He sees you as the beautiful creation He made, and He will give you everything you need. No matter how dark the day, how deep the pit, how dire the situation, God sees you.
Let’s Pray
Father, thank You that You see me. Thank You that You see past every hat I wear, every mask I put on. Remind me in the lonely moments - in the moments when I feel like I can’t take another step - that You are there, that You see me as an amazing creation of Yours. Remind me that I am Your child, and I am seen.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
Not only do we want to be seen, other people in our lives need to be seen for who they are – an amazing creation of God. Take time today to really see the people who cross your path, and look for ways to minister to them, to be the hands and feet of Jesus in their lives. Ask God to show you how to look at others with His eyes. Write down in your journal one person that you know you will come into contact with today. Pray for that person and that you will see them as God sees them.
More from the Girlfriends
Lori Fairchild is a mom, wife, blogger and editor. She blogs about grabbing the teachable moments with our kids at Everyday Truth. She has written a Christmas e-book devotional called Everyday Christmas that offers simple suggestions for helping your family find Christ during the hustle and bustle of the holidays. When she’s not writing, you can find Lori reading a book, hanging out with her family or running the carpool to her girls’ hockey and soccer practices.
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