Four girls got in front of the approximately 30 others to share different areas of their lives that have been difficult. In each case, each girl expressed a feeling of loneliness. While struggling, they each expressed feeling that no one else could understand them or even felt ashamed for struggling with that particular issue. These testimonies were prefaced with the story of Hagar. This is the woman who Sarai told Abram to sleep with in order that Abram and Sarai would have an heir. This woman was a slave, and after being used in this way by Abram and Sarai, was later mistreated by Sarai and fled into the wilderness.
I can't imagine what she was thinking, but I'm sure there were hopeless feelings found in her heart. I'm sure she felt used, trampled on, and invisible. Well, it was in this wilderness that she met God there. It was there in the wilderness, she addressed this God as, El Roi, "The God who sees me."
Truth is, there is a God who sees us in our struggles. The testimonies of these four Cru women atested to the fact that they were going through hard things. However, admist it all, there came a point that they realized God saw them where they were in that very moment and that He was walking through it with them.
Truth is, all humans have a desire to be known. We all desire to be known intimately and fully. You see this in a culture full of social networks: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Path, etc. and you see this is a culture laden with sex, perhaps one of the most intimate experiences two people can have together.
I believe this desire to be known has been with us from the beginning and that it is God given. As Genesis 2 illustrates this: "And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed." God created us to live with others and to be known by them. Interestingly enough, this is not just a human desire, it is God's desire: "And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." John 17:3
"Know" here in verse 3 of John 17 means:
Those of you who have heard of Jesus, probably have heard this verse: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him, shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 The Bible talks of a God who wants us to know him so much, that he gave his only Son, so that whoever believes and follows Jesus, will live forever with God the Father. This person will be able to know the Father now and live forever knowing him. For those who are believers and who have already heard all of this, realize how profound these verses are. At our death bed, all else will not matter. If we live today focused on the cares of this life we could perhaps drown out what is truly important, what will have importance for all of eternity: to know God. Change happens here. Change happens when we realize God sees us. He sees us in our moments of weakness, doubt, and trouble. We are already fully known. He fought the battle of sin so we would not be separated from him in this life and for eternity. To be known starts today and lasts for eternity. It starts with us realizing that on our own we can do no good, realizing that God fought this battle for us, and now I am called to boast in my weaknesses. For when I am weak, God is made strong in me (2 Corinthians 12:10) I go through life with a constant companion. He is the one who gives me hope when there seems to be none, the one who gentlely points out my faults but promises to never leave. All masks, all pretending is torn down, and I stand naked before my God in my sin. He is the one who instead of scolding me, instead clothes me, and reaffirms the love he has for me. Now, that's what I call intimacy. Finally, I am known! This website has a lot of great information on it. If you desire to be known, start here: http://www.everystudent.com/ |
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