The God Who Sees

Gen 16: 13 "You are the God Who Sees, for she said, Have I also here seen Him who sees me?"

In Genesis 16 we find the story of Hagar—definitely one who was a victim of circumstance. Hagar was Abraham and Sarah's slave. She was brought from Egypt. She was a stranger in the land. Being a slave she had no rights. She was required to do as told.

So when Sarah, her mistress, told Abraham to take Hagar and see if she would bear a son. First of all, Sarah's faith was waning. She didn't believe God was able to keep His promise to give them a son. (Does this ring a bell? Do we lose patience with God, and then take things in our own hand?) Hagar did conceive, then despised her mistress. Sarah obviously wasn't pleased either with the situation. Life went from bad to worse. Until the day came, that Hagar ran away.

God met her in the desert. His question was "where have you come from?" Hagar answered Him honestly that she had run from her mistress. God didn't tell her to keep running, but told her to return where she came from. What? Really God? Back into the same situation!! But God also gave her the promise that the son she carries will also become a great nation.

Hagar named that encounter with God "He is the God who sees" I love the phrase after that which Hagar asked—Have also seen Him who sees me?

No matter what situation you are in, God sees you. Are you able to see Him through the "cloud of desperation?Are you able to call your situation He is the God who sees? God is there. His arm is not too short to reach to you. Are you able to see Him?

Since January 2010, my life has taken a total turn. Sometimes I hardly recognized it as being my life. The adjustments have been enormous. But every step of the way, I know, that I know He is the God who sees.

I trust you know too!

God bless you

A Crowd of a Million

Exodus 14:6 "Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.."

I am reminded of the children of Israel on their way to the Promised Land. At last they are free from Pharaoh's harsh slavery. Then they arrived at the banks of the Red Sea. This was no river, it was a sea. They saw the water before them and the Egyptians behind them. They were afraid, angry and started yelling at Moses. Moses was God's mouthpiece and told them not to fear. God is ever with them. And sure enough, the waters were parted and they started the walk across the sea...on dry ground.

Today Haiti is not walking on dry ground. It has rained for 6 days, almost non-stop. Houses have collapsed, tent cities destroyed, mud slides, people under the collapsed houses, and people have died in this deluge. People are walking in mud up to their ankles inside houses. To top it off, Patrick is in the village and no way to get out at this point. Rivers are too high to cross, bridges are washed out.

The situation looks hopeless. Haiti oh Haiti. What can be done? I only know one answer "Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord." So many people have yet to turn to the Lord. Just as in Revelation, in spite of all the suffering people curse God. People still curse God in Haiti. God does have His people there, but there are more who have not turned their heart to God.

Asking for prayer for those who are hit hard in this rain. Pray for God's mercy on Haiti. Pray for more people to turn to God. Pray for Patrick. Pray for his safety and for a safe passage to return to the city. Also pray for the team that was to go in on Thursday. We do not yet know if it is safe for them to go at this time.

God bless you

Expensive Perfume

This story is found in Matthew 26:6-13. I'm sure you know it. It is about Mary when she brought the expensive perfumed oil to Simeon's house where Jesus was dining.

She went to the table and poured the oil over his head. Mary loved Jesus. She gave her best. Her heart was filled with love for him. She had been forgiven much, and she loved much. Her motive for this act of love was right. But...the disciples were disgruntled to think that Mary wasted so much money on perfume when it could have been given to the poor. They saw it as a waste. Jesus rebuked them saying this was for His burial.

Isn't this just the way it is? You are sincere in your actions. Your motives are right. You really thought you sensed God wanted you to reach out, even out of your comfort zone. Then someone comes along and finds fault. Your heart sinks. You wonder how you could have missed the mark when you thought it was so right.

It has happened me to me again and again. I was accused wrongly. What do we do? We do what Mary did—we continue to pour the oil of blessing. We do not need to justify our deeds if they are God-given. God is our defender. Our ministry is to keep blessing others as God blesses us. Forgive your offenders and look to your Defender.

Pray for Patrick. Rain has covered Haiti for many days now. He is in the village and cannot leave. I had contact with him this evening, and there is still rain. Pray for their safety. When this happens in the village, many people do not have food. They cook with wood, and all the wood is wet.

God bless you

Naaman

Story in the Old Testament 2 Kings 5

Naaman was a captain of the king's army. He was a honorable man, a man of valor, but...

He was a leper. The most dreaded disease of that time. It was a hindrance of his life. He had a "but" in his life. He was wealthy, noble and respected. "But".

The sad thing is that God had a way to heal him. He almost missed it. Through the course of several people, one being a young slave girl and one the prophet Elisha, telling him to go bathe in the river Jordan. Jordan? Really? That is the dirtiest river around. He is a top man in the army. He is renown. Now to humiliate himself to go bathe in the dirty river. He told his servants he won't do it. If God wanted to heal him, he could use an honorable method. Then his servants convinced him to try to do what the prophet told him to do. He did, and he was healed.

This is you and me. We pray, but we pray the answer. We tell God how to answer our prayer, and then when the answer comes we miss it because God didn't answer in the way we thought it should be answered. Then we get discouraged. But wait....Naaman did go to the river. He did what he was told to do and was healed.

I remember one of the first years in Haiti, I had tried to leave for the 3rd time and God shut the door tightly. So I said, "God I won't try to leave again until I know that I know you have called me out." It was 28 years later the quake happened, and I "had" to leave Haiti. Couldn't God have just nudged my heart, and gently told me, "Barb, it is time for a change." He probably could have done that but He didn't.

The lesson for us, Don't out guess God. He has reasons for answering our prayers the way He does. He is doing a work in us, and He will complete it. He wants us to be accomplished for His glory. His glory, not mine. He has a plan. He put me under the rubble to bring me out of the rubble. Yes, there was rubble in my heart. He is doing a work in me. And you. Don't miss it! Don't waste your pain or sorrow.

God bless you.

A Young Boy

We are never too insignificant for the Lord. In a crowd of 5,000, a little boy became the channel of a miracle. Can you imagine the story he told his mother when he returned home that night! What he thought was normal for a lunch that his mother packed for him as he left that day. Perhaps he was on his way to the river bank to go fishing when he noticed the crowd.

Curiosity always wins, especially with little boys. He found a large crowd just hanging around listening to one man talk. But he drew closer and closer. Then he couldn't take his eyes off Jesus. I wonder if he had seen him before? Little boys don't just stand around listening. They want action, and he got it.

Did he offer his food to the disciples? I think so. His eyes must have bulged when he saw what happened to his few fish and dinner buns. His feet couldn't run fast enough to get home to tell his mother all about it. I wonder if he stuffed his pocket with few crumbs to show his mother his story was true.

What am I getting at? Only a thought—there is nothing too small for the Lord to use. He only wants what is in our hands. He can use it. But often we are tight fisted. Or perhaps you don't see that you have something He can use for his kingdom. Open your hand and your heart, give Him all. "Don't be afraid. Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord." Exodus 14:6

Today was good news. I went to the prosthetic doctor. He will be casting (molding a fit) me for the prosthesis on Tuesday. THEN he said, "The following Monday you will return, get your prosthesis and start walking!" That is a week from Monday!! This is too much! I'm excited.

Pray for Patrick. He's in Haiti. Lots of rain. Makes travel to the village very difficult. He is in the village after trying the 3rd route to get there. The 1st two roads were impassable. I remember those trips. So far removed and long ago, it seems.

God bless you

Abraham

Today I'm thinking of Abraham, but really Abram because it was before his name was changed. God called him to leave his family, his land and go to a land where God would show him. He is going, not knowing where. And he went, not knowing where he was going, only that God had called him out of his land. Remember he wasn't from a christian home. He was in a land that served idols. He didn't have a Bible. How was Abraham sure it was God's voice? What caused him to decide to leave?

Years later, again, God called him to sacrifice his only son. The very one that God promised would make him a father of many nations. Abraham got up the next morning, started up the mountain with his son. Now wait a minute. How was Abraham so sure it was God's voice? Abraham became one of the great patriarchs of Bible history.

We have the Bible, we have the Holy Spirit, yet we doubt when we are at a crossroad which gives us an option to obey or not to obey God's voice. We have this idea that if it is not culturally accepted it must not be God. Where does this come from? Abraham's calling certainly wasn't culturally correct. But he obeyed.

There are so many voices all around us every day. The TV is on, news is blaring, sports, style shows, etc. Just noise. Maybe we are crowding God's voice out. Take the time today to be quiet before the Lord. Listen to Him. Read His Word. He may have a message for you. Will you obey?

Today our 2 little ones have a fever. Patrick is in Haiti, trying to get to the village but the rains have caused the rivers to rise and he can't cross. He was going to try one more road. I haven't heard if he got through. Pray for him.

God bless you

Thomas

We are starting a new month. Yesterday I was having some doubts about a few issues, like bills are coming in but the finances not so much. Now I really don't know why doubt came knocking at my door, but it did start me thinking.

Thomas, who many of us know as "Doubting Thomas" was with Jesus for 3 years. He listened to his teaching, saw how he related to people, saw miracles time and time again. Yet when Jesus told His disciples that He is going to leave and go to His Father. Thomas asks where and basically says "How am I supposed to know where you are going." Then after the crucifixion he said he won't believe the resurrection unless he can put his fingers in Jesus side. We may think this a bit ridiculous, but I don't think so.

We have the Word of God. We have the testimony of Jesus. We have His promises. And yet! how many times do we find ourselves in depression and discouragement because we just can't see a way out of our mess. We look everywhere but up. God promised to take care of us. He promised not to leave us.

Are you a Doubting Thomas or do you have faith as a mustard seed? That faith can move your mountains! Don't wait to have faith until you can see the end of your problems. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Heb 11:1

God bless you