I received a text last night that reduced me to tears. It said this:
I was so excited when the UPS guy dropped if off RIGHT after I got off the phone with you! Crazy!!
A sweet friend of mine had ordered me an adult coloring book because I had told her the one I had gotten from Amazon had a bit too fine of lines and thus was not quite so relaxing. What she didn’t know is that her gift would show up right in time. Or just in time. Or whatever you want to call it.
You see, all day yesterday I was feeling worn out, run down, overwhelmed and exhausted, unsure of how I would have the energy to leave town again tomorrow. My mind was flooded with lies from the Enemy that taunted me of my brokenness and of all the places that I fall short.
And yet in one moment, I felt so reassured that God was present.
I felt seen.
the God who sees
Ann Voskamp wrote on an Instagram post this morning that “God first revealed Himself to a woman as the God Who Sees.” Friends, He sees our pain. He sees our heart. He sees us. All of it. All of us.
The God of the Universe, of all of Creation, sees little ‘ole me and you. What encouragement.
Upon receiving that text last night I was reduced to tears. Nay, sobs. These were happy sobs. For I had been feeling so broken, so less than, so weak and so weary, and yet here was not only a God who saw me, but a God that went before me.
My friend didn’t know I would be having a tough day yesterday when she ordered the book a couple of days before. And yet mere moments after a phone conversation in which she did find out, the UPS guy delivered that gift right to her door. She sent it with her husband to bring it to mine.
He is the God who sees. And not only that, in His goodness, He is…
the God who shows
This morning I awoke to another text. This one brightened up my face, lit up my eyes, and spread my smile wide across my cheeks. It was a picture of a jet stream outside a small window that came with a text that read this:
Jet stream out my window this morning. Every time I see one I think of you. Taking time to pray for you today…
It was from my sister. My sweet sister. And it was again such a small but significant gift to me.
You see, the smallest things can sometimes have the biggest impact. And with a God who is so big and mighty – when He shows up in small ways, it truly does feel hugely significant.
Jet streams are a little “thing” I have with God in which He reveals to me His goodness and promises.
Our God is not a God who simply stops at seeing us. {For we, as believers, know that truth in our minds from His Word}. No, He is the God who goes the extra step to show us that He sees us.
He shows us through coloring books and through jet streams, and through a million other ways – many of which may be specific to you. But one thing is the same for all of us, they’re there. He’s there.
His part, our part
Friend, where are you difficult and lonely places you are traversing? What are the darkest parts of your mind and heart you either struggle to be made known or do your best to cenceal?
He is the God who sees. And He is the God who shows.
Sometimes we simply have to look a bit deeper into situations, circumstances and surroundings in order to see the ways in which He is revealing to us just that.
Remember, we don’t go it alone. We don’t wak this journey of life solo. As Ellie Holcomb sings, He “hems [us] in both behind and before.” Praise God for that truth.
Look a little deeper, lift your eyes a little higher. There are jet streams outside your window. There is light peering in through that darkness. Can you see it?
The verse that came on the front cover of that coloring book? Of course it would be so appropriate to the moment:
I am with you always. {Matthew 28:20}
