Thursday, February 23, 2012

Morning Coffee- I See You!

"So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him." Romans 12:1


In thinking of this scripture, I want to write at least one reflection each morning of Lent.  As a SAHM, I have struggled at times to find value in what I do, so I believe that the Lord will use this time to show me more of himself and how he is working.  As I was reading in Genesis yesterday for my Beth Moore bible study on the Patriarchs, I came across Hagar.  Hagar was Sarah's servant.  Sarah gave Abraham, her husband, Hagar to sleep with to bear a son.  After Hagar became pregnant, Sarah treated her pretty badly.  In Genesis 16, Sarah and Abraham kept referring to Hagar as "the servant."  They didn't even use her real name.  When Hagar ran away, God met her beside a stream in the desert (Really?  Who else can put a stream in the desert but God?).  When God talks to Hagar, he calls her by her name.  After that encounter, Hagar calls God, "El-roi," the God who sees me.


I think we all need that reminder.  I was lying Carson down for a nap that he didn't want to take.  He pushed himself up taking a second break from wailing to look to see if I was there.  He was like, "Look, Mom, don't you see I'm upset here?!"  That's what God showing up in the middle of the desert was to Hagar.  God saw her distress.  God doesn't just sit back and watch us on our own reality TV show.  He SEES us.  He already knew why Hagar was upset and running away.  It is so comforting to know that when I am home, by myself, with a screaming baby and I am so sleep deprived because his teeth are taking forever to come in and I have no hint of rest in the near future- God sees.  Also, even in the great moments He is there.  Carson was rolling around on the floor, and everytime he ended up in a different place, he would look up and I would say, "I see you!"  It wasn't enough that I was in the same room, he wanted to know I knew exactly where he was.

Do you have times like this where you feel like no one understands?