God who sees:
Posted by Brittany Hurst on Thursday, October 18, 2012
When I was 14, I went on my first missions trip. We went on outreach to Mexico but before that, had a few days of input and preparation at the Youth With a Mission center. We did team building activities, had classes and heard from different speakers, had prayer and worship times, and had a whole lot of fun. I loved my new friends!
I think it was this trip that sparked my interest in missions. Before this, I'd loved the family vacations we had been on and I enjoyed traveling, but this time I was without my parents, was growing in my relationship with Jesus and experiencing a new culture.
One thing I remember on this trip, was how I constantly compared myself to others. "Wow, why is everyone else so close to God? Why can others hear His voice? What does that even mean? What am I doing wrong?" Another key thing I remember on this trip, was it was the first time I realized that God is a personal God. A God who sees. A God who sees me.
One of the last nights, that we were in Texas before leaving for Mexico, we had a speaker with us. I don't even remember what he spoke about. I remember a dimly lit classroom, a lot of teenagers. It was also the night, (that now looking back) I realize God saw me in the midst of a crowd. The speaker asked if he could pray for me that night, I don't remember it being a night where everyone was praying for each other or anything. I just remember the speaker approaching me. He approached me, in the midst of a crowd of teens. This was huge for me, this was God answering the prayer and question in my heart, "Why is everyone else so close to God and what is wrong with me? Where is He?" It was during him praying for me, that I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit for the first time that I can remember. God is near, friends.
I sometimes recall this night when I wonder if God's forgotten me or when I wonder if God is actually real and moving in my life. And it is moments like this in my life that I can't deny, I felt the presence of God and I know that He does not just love me but He sees me, my circumstances, my questions, my hopes. And I believe, that He is good and that He cares.
Now, although I wish I was, I'm no Bible scholar. But I was at Barnes and Noble the other day, skimming through a few books and read something that is along the lines of what I'm saying- in Genesis 16, it's the story of Hagar, Sarai's slave. Sarai wanted to get pregnant but couldn't, so she gave Abram her slave to sleep with. So, of course she gets pregnant and Sarai's bitter. (Hello? Your fault, lady!) Hagar runs away because Sarai starts ill-treating her. And it was while she was away, that the Lord spoke to her about the son in her womb. Hagar responds to the Lord, "You are the God who sees me, I have now seen the One who sees me."
I hope whoever you are reading this, know how loved you are by our Father. I hope that in whatever you are going through that you hang onto hope. That you don't give up and that you dare to believe that God sees you and that you seek Truth wholeheartedly. I know you will find Him near.
I think it was this trip that sparked my interest in missions. Before this, I'd loved the family vacations we had been on and I enjoyed traveling, but this time I was without my parents, was growing in my relationship with Jesus and experiencing a new culture.
One thing I remember on this trip, was how I constantly compared myself to others. "Wow, why is everyone else so close to God? Why can others hear His voice? What does that even mean? What am I doing wrong?" Another key thing I remember on this trip, was it was the first time I realized that God is a personal God. A God who sees. A God who sees me.
One of the last nights, that we were in Texas before leaving for Mexico, we had a speaker with us. I don't even remember what he spoke about. I remember a dimly lit classroom, a lot of teenagers. It was also the night, (that now looking back) I realize God saw me in the midst of a crowd. The speaker asked if he could pray for me that night, I don't remember it being a night where everyone was praying for each other or anything. I just remember the speaker approaching me. He approached me, in the midst of a crowd of teens. This was huge for me, this was God answering the prayer and question in my heart, "Why is everyone else so close to God and what is wrong with me? Where is He?" It was during him praying for me, that I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit for the first time that I can remember. God is near, friends.
I sometimes recall this night when I wonder if God's forgotten me or when I wonder if God is actually real and moving in my life. And it is moments like this in my life that I can't deny, I felt the presence of God and I know that He does not just love me but He sees me, my circumstances, my questions, my hopes. And I believe, that He is good and that He cares.
Now, although I wish I was, I'm no Bible scholar. But I was at Barnes and Noble the other day, skimming through a few books and read something that is along the lines of what I'm saying- in Genesis 16, it's the story of Hagar, Sarai's slave. Sarai wanted to get pregnant but couldn't, so she gave Abram her slave to sleep with. So, of course she gets pregnant and Sarai's bitter. (Hello? Your fault, lady!) Hagar runs away because Sarai starts ill-treating her. And it was while she was away, that the Lord spoke to her about the son in her womb. Hagar responds to the Lord, "You are the God who sees me, I have now seen the One who sees me."
I hope whoever you are reading this, know how loved you are by our Father. I hope that in whatever you are going through that you hang onto hope. That you don't give up and that you dare to believe that God sees you and that you seek Truth wholeheartedly. I know you will find Him near.