Do you see what I see?

Behold your God - Part 5

It's no surprise that one of Jesus' most frequent miracles was giving sight to the blind. It mirrors what the Bible tells us that He came to do in each of us...2 Corinthians 4:3-6 tells us that we are each blind until God shines light into our hearts to let us see Christ.

3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

And just like Jesus said: If you've seen Him, you've seen the Father. That hymn had it right...I once was blind, but now I see. But it's not that simple, is it? It's not like we just suddenly get it. We continually have to press hard after God to see Him more and more. And we are completely dependent on Him to shine that light that lets us see. But because of His great mercy, He has chosen to reveal much about who He is in His Word. If we could see a light in the storms of our lives, what would He reveal to us about who He is?

Behold His Power
The first thing God mentions about Himself starting in Isaiah 40:10 is His power, His strength. He tells us that nothing can stay His hand. No one can thwart His plans. He is Lord of kings and nations. The stars, some of which are so large that our sun can fit in them 10,000 times over, are upheld by Him. Powers on earth which are too large for anyone to overcome wither at just His breath blowing on them. Every power on earth is accounted by Him as nothing...emptiness.

How mighty is the might of God? How powerful His power? How strong His strength? What could stop His plan? Your boss, your spouse, your teacher, your money, your ability, your strength, your wisdom...what can get in God's way? He rules. He rules you. He rules everyone else. No one is outside His kingdom. No one goes their own way. When you feel helpless, lost, powerless, unable to see your way through, unable to do what needs to be done, turn to the one who is able. Appeal to Him on the basis of what He Himself has said.

A Fight to Behold
I will never forget one moment when I needed to hold this thought so firmly. Our youngest, Brennan, was playing on the computer. School was over for the day, earlier than I had even hoped for. We couldn't have been having a more normal Tuesday when Brennan runs to me, yelling in panic that her nose was bleeding. Well, I'm a coach's wife. Bloody noses are part of life. So, I told her to calm down. Let's get a rag. Pinch it closed for 10 minutes or so. It'll be fine. Except that it wasn't. We didn't get to one minute when the blood started pouring from her other nostril. Then she started gagging and throwing up blood. It was pouring from her nose, coughing up from her mouth. More than I had ever seen. Nothing I was doing could stop it.

By the grace and mercy of God, our pediatrician and good friend was home that day and answered my call for help. She comes over expecting to see, I'm sure, a normal nose bleed, but one look at the blood spatters all over the bathroom and she understood we needed more than normal help. She gets us in to an ENT who makes the call that he needs to get her into surgery to be able to see where the bleeding is coming from and to stop it completely. Wayne rushes up from school.

A normal day gone to pieces. I remember sitting in the waiting room of the ICU with Wayne and dear friends who answered our call for help. I felt so completely helpless. Brennan hates hospitals. Hates needles. Hates blood. Hates being left with strangers. Cassie summed it up when I called her that afternoon...Why Brennan? I think I could have handled this, but Brennan? She'll be terrified. That's how we all felt. And what was causing this? My brain was running with all possibilities and the looks on our friends' faces told us they were greatly concerned as well. That wouldn't usually make a difference except these friends were doctors of many years. If they're concerned, we're in trouble.

And there was nothing we could do. But we were not without help. We had God. He is able to do what we couldn't. He could be with Brennan, right inside of her. He could calm her. He could get her through. Nothing could stop Him being with her. He knew exactly what was wrong with her. And He could fix it. He knit her together in my womb. She was His workmanship. He knows exactly how her body works and what needed to be done. And nothing could stop Him from guiding that surgeon's hand. He knew the plans He had and He would see them done.

A dear friend who stayed until the end sat next to me. I would look at her from time to time as the seconds stretched to hours. She would see my panic and say what I needed to hear: No, Kim. Don't panic. He's there. You are not needed. He has her. Who else would you rather have in there with her than GOD? He is able. Do not fear. He is with her. He will uphold her with His righteous right hand. I know that you are afraid, but think about God.

Think about God. That's what steadied me in that place of need. My God is mighty to save. He has great power to bring back from exile...to bring about change...to extend the money...to relieve the pain...to guide you safely through the storm...to heal your heart that grieves so deeply. He is mighty in power, great in wonder, awesome in His display of who He is on behalf of those who trust in Him.