One of the darkest times I survived by God's grace was several years ago. I was very alone in this experience and came out of it with extreme confusion and soul-pain. It took a counselor and people who love me to pray for me to walk in a place of clarity again. I was (and still am) not always able to explain that season very well. It was at this time, I found comfort in this scripture:
Genesis 16: 13 "So she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, "You are 'God who sees,' because I have truly seen the one who looks after me."
My heart was so quieted by this verse--to know that when I cannot explain myself or what I experienced--He saw. He knows. The good; the bad; most importantly, the heart of it all. My heart. Thank God.
Have you ever been through something like this? When you don't even know how to capture it all in words because there are so many feelings involved and so much pain? I am so glad that The Word, Himself, is a witness to my life and one day, He will tell me the whole story and I will know as He knows. But right now, I am just so glad He knows. He sees. It settles me down. The One Who Looks After Me.
When I was in Siberia in the 90s, I was walking in the marketplace with a couple of other missionaries. We were talking as we were waiting for a bus. A woman walked up to me and said, "Are you an American?" I said, "Yes." She said, "Do you know Marcie Carter?" (My previous last name. :) I said, "Yes. That's me!!" She said, "I have a fax for you from your Mother!"
WHAT????
I am in Siberia. In a city of over a million people. Waiting for a bus. Someone hands me a fax from my dear Mother, in Texas.
I read this fax with tears. It was a letter from God--through my Mother. She was getting the message to me that my niece, Melissa, was born.
For some reason, my Mother was confused about how to contact me. She knew I had been through training with Youth With a Mission a few years earlier, and must have thought that is how she could contact me at this point! She called their central office and got a fax number for a contact in Siberia and sent the fax to them. The woman who received the fax had no idea who I was or how to find me--so she kept the fax in her purse and prayed that we would cross paths. (Yes, that is me... the skinny girl with sunglasses--reading a fax!!)
Wow. God Sees Me. He is The One Who Looks After Me.
A couple of years ago, I was at a women's retreat. The speaker, Linda, was preparing to minister to the group but was overwhelmed with emotions at the last minute. The Lord told her, "Go have Marcie pray for you." She said, "Where is she? This is a large camp ground!" He said, "She is in the meeting room."
I had been wandering around the grounds alone, praying--and felt I was to go to the meeting room and pray there. Linda came in and found me there--just as the Lord said.
God Sees Me. He is The One Who Looks After Me.
I love Him. I am glad He sees me -- knows me -- and looks after me. Especially when I need to discuss something with Him in my life that I need to change, I am comforted that He truly already knows and is wayyyy ahead of me. I rest in this understanding.
Do you need Him to show you that He knows who you are and where you are?
Ask Him.
"Father--You are so good. You are a parent who keeps up with all of your children. Of course you know where I am and what I need. I love you for that. Please orchestrate a connection that expresses Your love for me so I can grow in my awareness of Your nearness. I want to be closer to You and know You more! In Jesus' Name, Amen"
No comments:
Post a Comment