God Sees Me {Part 4}

We celebrated my baby girl's FIRST birthday this week, so I took a break from our God Sees Me series, but today I want to conclude with a story that had my jaw on the floor as God confirmed in an astounding way that He does indeed see me, hear me, love me, and want what is best for me.  

If you remember, I went on a Women's Retreat last weekend, having just finished up Sara Hagerty's new book Every Bitter Thing Is Sweet (highly recommend it, but have your Kleenex ready).

As I drove to spend the next couple days with some amazing sister friends, I had God's precious promise tucked deep within my heart.

All throughout the weekend, God continued to help me uncover this treasured truth.  From having the opportunity to be real, honest, authentic with my small group as I shared my big, scary, humanly impossible, only-God-can-do-it dream on Saturday morning (see Part 1) to Christine Caine's message challenging me to speak God's Word over the fact of my circumstances and boldly enter the Promised Land of freedom (see Part 2) to telling my small group how God had miraculously provided for a dear friend in direct response to my prayers earlier in the week (see Part 3), I was overwhelmed with His faithfulness and goodness.  I was reminded of the DEPTH of His love for me, and also inspired to live in response to that amazing, gracious, abundant love.  I could have gone home with an overflowing heart on Saturday night, but as the snow fell, God kept pouring out more of Himself into my soul.

Sunday morning, our children's pastor spoke to us live in person.  She had missed the first part of the retreat due to a surprise vacation her husband had planned that just so happened to coincide with the retreat.  We were all delighted to see her Saturday evening, and I was excited to see what God had laid on her heart to share with us as we wrapped up the weekend on Sunday morning.  

After sharing some laughs about various real life moments, Jeanne explained how God had very directly laid the story of Hagar on her heart.  The story of Abraham and Sarah's slave woman was not what Jeanne had expected to speak on, but of all the things God could have given her, that is what He did.  And so, she obediently prepared a message from Genesis chapters 16 and 21. 

The topic couldn't have been more perfect.

I am surprised I didn't cry out when she read from Genesis 16:

"Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the Lord, who had spoken to her.

She said, 'You are the God who sees me.' 

She also said, 'Have I truly seen the One who sees me?'

So that well was named Beer-lahai-roi (which means "Well of the Living One who sees me").

It can still be found between Kadesh and Bered.

Of all the things Jeanne could have spoken on, God put Hagar on her heart.  

Of all the passages in Scripture, Jeanne could have used, God directed her to Genesis 16 where we see Him called a new name - the God who sees.

And if that wasn't enough, she continued and read more of Hagar's story in Genesis 21.  Even though we do not see God called by this new name here, we do recognize once more that He SAW Hagar, and her son Ishmael.  We can't deny His love for her, as displayed in His faithful and gracious provision for them, as they sat in the wilderness to die.  Instead, He opens Hagar's eyes so that SHE CAN SEE the well and get something for her son to drink.

The God who sees helped His daughter see...

Yes, the God who sees me, who sees YOU, first helps us see Himself.
He shows us who He is...

He opens our eyes so we can see what He is doing all around us...

He shows us the path He has laid out for us...

And if we are willing, His hand is reaching out, ready for us to take hold, so He can guide us every single step of the way...

I don't know where you are at today.

I don't know everything you are going through right now.

But one thing I know for sure: GOD SEES YOU.

And He loves you.

He cares about you, deeply.

He died that you might live.

And now, today, He wants to fill you with His power and presence and peace and joy and hope.

He wants to make Himself known to you.

Open your eyes so you can see...

For the God who sees you is ready to show you marvelous things today.

I smile as I look at this beautiful butterfly.

This picture is yet another reminder to me of God's amazing eyesight and His attention to the smallest of details in my life.

You see, my baby girl turned one on the 19th.  For her birthday party that we will be having with family this coming week, we are having a BUTTERFLY theme.  As I was writing this God Sees Me series, I was filled with excitement and anticipation as I felt God on the move within me.  I could sense Him working in me and THROUGH me.  He was whispering to me all over again, "I know your dreams.  I placed them there in your heart.  Are you ready to become the new creation I designed you to be?  Are you ready to see your dreams come true?"

I posted a picture of a different butterfly with the verse 2 Corinthians 5:17, "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old has gone; the new has come."

At the time, I also saw this picture, 

and I think it's a fitting way to conclude this post and the series all together.  As we rest in the promise that GOD SEES US, may we then keep our eyes open to see Him in a new, fresh light.  

More so, may we begin to see ourselves the way our Creator sees us.  

And in so doing, may we join together in a RESOLVE TO BE NEW.