Be still and know that He is God.
This evening, as we approach the end of another month in the new year, remember that you are not alone. You are not on your own. We have a God who is faithful and more than able.
A lot of times, when life gets overwhelming, it’s easy to get caught up in all the weight and the cares of this world, but God has something more in store for us. So tonight, as you rest, tonight, as you step into the fullness, as you step into wholeness, as you step into the reality of who God is, being still and knowing that He is God is an intentional decision to shut everything down, close off the noise, step out of the busy traffic, and simply see God.
Simply hear God. Simply receive Him as part of your being, that you are not alone. The God that we serve is the God who sees us. In scripture, we see a story of a woman who has been cast out. Due to no fault of her own, she has been cast out with her son, and she is in the middle of nowhere, crying out to God for something different.
So in Genesis 16:13, in the King James Version, it states:
And she called the name of the Lord that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me? - Genesis 16:13 KJV
This scripture of Sarai. He finds her at a specific place in the wilderness and proceeds to pronounce a blessing on her seed as the Lord pronounced a blessing on Abraham and his seed:
7 And the angel of the Lord found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.
8 And he said, Hagar, Sarai’s maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.
9 And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.
10 And the angel of the Lord said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.
11 And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Behold, thou art with child and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the Lord hath heard thy affliction.
12 And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.
So the blessing that is on Ishmael is there because his mother cried out, and God heard her affliction. No matter where you are, no matter how hard it is, and no matter how long it has been in terms of the affliction and the pressure, the Lord sees you. He is El Roi: “the God who sees me”.
This is what Hagai called Him. She knew in that moment that she was seen and she was loved. Her seed was indeed multiplied according to the word the Lord gave her directly. This is a promise of God outside of the covenant of Abraham.
May her encounter with God be a reminder that He knows where you are, and He has a blessing for you, but you must be still. There comes a time when the running must end, the frustration must end, and attempting to figure it out in your own strength must end. The grace and glory of God can find you right where you are and show you how deeply you are loved.
Download 31 Printable Scripture and Power Notes that can be printed, cut out, and placed on mirrors, walls, and at your desk at work. These are timeless reminders of God’s power, healing, and love.