Genesis 16:13
From then on, Hagar used another name to refer to the Lord, who had spoken to her. She said, ‘You are the God who sees me.’
It was a typical Saturday night. I made my weekend drive from the lively and unpredictable city of Crowley (sarcasm) to Lafayette. After meeting up with the guys, we headed to church. They dropped me off at the main campus and headed to the church’s second campus.
I actually enjoyed the night alone. It was calm and engaging. After service, I sat on a bench outside while I waited to be picked up. One by one people trickled out until I was the only one left sitting outside. I couldn’t help but hear that old Celine Dion song playing in the back of my mind:
“All byyyyy myself. Don’t wanna be all byyyy myyyyself.”
I found myself having an emo conversation with God about things he had spoken to me and dreams he had given me in the past.
When am I going to get to lead worship?
Believe it or not, that was one of my biggest dreams at the time. But everything seemed to be moving forward without the dream. Work was good. Worries were minimal. Finances were great. But what happened to the dream? My conversation with God continued. A few moments later I looked up and said,
It would be really cool to see a shooting star.
As if things weren’t emo enough…Well, no shooting star. I didn’t think too much about it. It was a pretty crazy request anyway, right? A few minutes later my ride showed up. I sat in the back seat looking out the window, wondering if God had heard me that night. Either way I wasn’t going to doubt him because I didn’t see a shooting star. In that moment I looked up and there was the shooting star. I couldn’t believe it! Some say it is a coincidence. If that’s the case, I’ve seen WAY too many coincidences over the years. He SAW me and he HEARD me.
There are times in our lives when we feel alone and deserted, overlooked and unimportant. I know I did. Our dreams are quieted by our day to day responsibilities. We begin to question the promise. “If God put this dream in my heart, why hasn’t it come to pass? Will it EVER come to pass?” We pray and pray hoping that God will bring us through. Can you imagine what Hagar felt? Punished for being obedient. Overlooked and insignificant. But in the midst of her pain, God saw her!
I am not old and I don’t have grey hair, but I DO know this. God is faithful. He hears every word you speak and sees the things your treasure deep in your heart. He sees you even when you are alone in the wilderness. He sees the broken dreams. And let me say this. His promises often come in the lonely, broken times of our lives.
Life can throw some pretty crazy things our way, but God sees us through it all. The shooting star was a reminder that God sees me and that he has not forgotten his promise. Press on! He is the God who sees you!