You are Seen! By Lisa Burkhardt Worley
“And when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel and that He had looked on their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshiped.”
(Exodus 4:31, NKJV)
Do you desire to be seen? Sometimes we want to be seen by an employer: “I have seen your hard work, and because of that, I am going to give you a 50% raise.” Being seen has its benefits. You desire to be seen by your spouse. “Wife, I have noticed how you have faithfully provided delicious meals and have kept the house organized. Here’s $1000 to spend however you want.” Hallelujah! I’ve been seen! However, more importantly than this, I believe many of us want to be seen by God.
In Exodus 4 when the LORD commissioned Moses to free the Israelites after over 400 years of captivity in Egypt, Moses and his brother Aaron met with the leaders of the children of Israel and shared an exit plan. This was welcomed news, and when the Israelites realized that God had seen their affliction, they bowed their heads and worshipped.
I don’t believe for a minute that God had been blind to the children of promise for 400-plus years until this moment of realization. I think He had been watching them all along. This was the first time they became aware that He had His eye on them. Do you sometimes feel alone and think God has forgotten you? Many times it’s because we are the ones who have distanced, not our heavenly Father. Matthew 10:29-31 says, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows” (NIV).
When the Israelites realized they had been seen, they worshipped their Maker. What do we do when we receive an answer to prayer, or realize God’s hand has been on a situation all along? Do we worship Him? Jesus repeatedly saw people in his time on Earth. He saw Zacchaeus in the tree. He saw Nathaniel under the tree. He saw, and healed ten lepers in Luke 17:11–17, but only one came back to thank Him and worship Him. In Luke 17:17, Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?”
Today, let’s follow the example of the grateful, healed leper and the children of Israel by worshipping God because we are seen by our heavenly Father. If we feel unseen, let’s draw closer to God by spending time in His Word and prayer. Proverbs 5:21 says, “For the ways of a man are before the eyes of the Lord, And He watches all his paths.”
Have you ever felt like you were invisible? By faith, will you trust that you are seen by God?
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Join the Pearls of Promise Team as we travel to Israel January 9-18, 2024! We would love for you to journey to the Holy Land with us. For more information, check out our webpage for the trip at: