God is All-Seeing – He Sees You

When you feel all alone, remember God is all-seeing. He sees you right where you are. Have you ever felt invisible in the midst of a crowd? Have there been times in your life when it seems like nobody sees you or nobody cares? It is a lonely feeling. We were meant for relationships and to interact with others.

Feeling Invisible

When my family and I moved to Tennessee from Maryland, we started attending a large church in our area. I love to sing, so I quickly joined the choir. For many years I sat in the choir of over 100 people and felt so lonely. I loved praising the Lord through song, but I also craved friendship. I would engage in small talk, but I often wondered if anyone even remembered my name. On other days I would sit and feel invisible. Did anyone even see me? It also made me aware that others may be feeling the same way. Although those years were lonely, they brought me closer to the Lord.

A Smile and Hello

For ten years I sat back and watched others, wishing I could be a part of their group. Then one day, after our church split, the Lord prompted me to stand at the abandoned Welcome Center, smile, say hello to people, and learn their names. I was amazed at their reactions. Some would be slightly startled and then say hello. Others would wander over and ask what I was doing and if there was something special going on. I would smile and say, “I just want to welcome people.”

You are Important

After a few weeks, I got to know many people’s names and I would greet them by their name. I would usually get a big smile and a bright hello or a wave. When church was over, I would say goodbye and wish them well. I wanted them to know I saw them and they were important. Important enough for me to know their name. Eventually, I was blessed to share their life stories. Many times I would pray with them and rejoice with them. I was no longer lonely. In fact, I was blessed beyond measure.

My Lesson

I’ve made many friends in the years since starting to simply smile and say hello. I don’t share this to show what I’ve done. I share this to show what God taught me through my loneliness. People need to be “seen.” People need to be loved. God has made us relational beings so that we form relationships with others and especially with Him. I realized that when I intentionally reach out to others, I form relationships. I also learned that when I reach out to others, I draw closer to the Lord because I’m being obedient to His command to love others.

Children

Children are the same as adults. They want to be seen. So, I make sure to say hello to the children who walk by the Welcome Center, as well. I’ve received some of the biggest smiles and best hugs from the younger generation.

 As a teacher, I always strive to show unconditional love to my students. I show interest in their activities, and we talk about things they enjoy. Since I’m at a small private school, it’s easy to do this. However, I never realized the impact it had on my students. That was until one of my seventh-grade boys said, “Mrs. Barkley, you are the only teacher who really sees me.” It blessed my heart, yet it also made me sad. So, each day I try to find ways to let my students and those around me know, “I see you and you are important to me.”

The God Who Sees Me

What about God? Does God see us? The Bible tells us in many different ways that God does see us.  In Genesis 16:13 one of the Hebrew names for God is El Roi which means the God who sees me. Hagar gave this name to God after He met with her in the desert. She was the Egyptian slave of Sarai, Abraham’s wife. After Hagar was terribly mistreated by Sarai, she ran away. The Angel of the Lord found her. “He said, ‘Hagar, slave of Sarai…’” (Gen. 16:7) Not only did God know where to find her, but He also knew her name and who she was.

I Saw You

Another person we meet in the Bible who is seen and known by God is Nathanael. John tells us that, “Jesus saw Nathanael coming towards Him and said about him, ‘Here is a true Israelite; no deceit is in Him.’” Nathanael asks Jesus how he knew him. You see, Jesus had never met Nathanael in person. Jesus reveals this when He says, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael is astonished and said, “You are the Son of God!” (John 1:43-51)

He Sees You

He is the same God yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrew 13:8). If He knew the people of the Bible that intimately, He knows each of us and sees each of us today. Psalm 139 tells us how intimate that knowledge is.  He knows when we sit and when we rise. He knows what we’ll say before we say it. He knows the number of hairs on our heads (Luke 12:7), and He even knows our thoughts!  No matter where we go or what we do God sees us. In fact, He knit us together in our mother’s womb. He saw us even there! “My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, … Your eyes saw my unformed body…” (Psalm 139:15-16). If the God of the universe can see us there, He can see us anywhere. God is all-seeing.

He Knows Our Name

Not only does He see us, but He also knows each of us by name. He knew Hagar’s name when He spoke to her in the desert (Gen 16:7). Isaiah 43:1 shows us that He knew Jacob’s name and remembered the name He had given Jacob in Gen. 32:28, Israel. He called out to Moses, and to Samuel by name in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, He called out to Saul on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:4). Even today, “He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out” (John 10:3). That’s us. We are His sheep. When someone is important to us, we know their name. We are so important to God that He sees us and calls each of us by our own name.

Showing God’s Love

Romans 8:29 states that we are “… to be conformed to the image of His Son…” If we are to be like Jesus, we need to show others how important they are to us. We need to see people the way Christ sees them and know their names. We need to take the time to look them in the eye, smile, and genuinely ask them, “How are you really doing?” Then wait for their reply and have a conversation with them. We can show others God’s love with a simple hello, a smile, or even a hug, and by calling them by name.

Two Challenges:

1. The next time you are at the store, genuinely smile and call the clerk by name. Ask them how they are doing today while looking them in the eye. Then wait for their reply.
2. If you attend church, learn a few names, and make it a habit to call them by name when you say hello.

Share in the comments a time someone called you by name and how it made you feel. 

Know that God is All-seeing – He sees you