I see the Lord…

Praise is powerful, but God’s presence is life-changing.

Last week, I shared my own experience of coming into God’s presence through praise. I felt as if I saw the Lord. Since that time, I have had one scripture and one song running through my head, as if it is on a loop.

Isaiah 6:1-4 NIV reads;

“I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. ² Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. ³ And they were calling to one another:

Every time I sing this song, I feel the presence of God. With closed eyes and raised hands in humble adoration of our Lord and Savior, I see that robe. Satiny and magnificent, cascading out into the temple. As it flows, majestic and holy as it is, God’s goodness ripples out over all creation.

“I see the Lord…”

However, when I woke this morning my song had stopped and was replaced with the memory of an all-to-familiar story. The story of Sarai and Hagar. God promised Abram a child (Genesis 16) and 10 years later, he and his wife were still waiting. They probably felt like God had forgotten them.

Unfortunately, I know this story all too well. I relate to Sarai in her impatience of waiting and the need to take matters into her own hands. So, she gave her maidservant, Hagar, to her husband, thus trying to fulfill the promise herself. Sadly, Hagar began to resent Sarai and Sarai in turn mistreated her. Oh, what a mess we make when we take matters into our own hands.

But what does this have to do with praise and the presence of God? Interestingly enough, as I was led to Isaiah and the praise song, “I See the Lord,” I was also led to this story of Hagar. And just like Hagar, I discovered, in her story, the same thing she does.

Hagar must have been feeling like she had very little control over her life. Confused and angry, she ran away. That’s when the most amazing thing happened. The angel of the Lord found her. Some commentaries believe this angel was actually a manifestation of Christ.

As Hagar sees the Lord for the very first time, she has an incredible revelation.  In Genesis 16:13, she exclaims, “You are the God who sees me, for I have now seen the One who sees me.”

“I see the One who sees me.”

Sometimes life gets complicated. You may feel alone, isolated and even overlooked. You might think God has forgotten you. But just like Hagar, God finds us, revealing Himself to us. And the most amazing thing happens, you not only see the Lord, but the Lord sees you!

God’s glory is rippling out over all of creation. We are part of that creation. Today, I want to encourage you to find ways to come into God’s presence. Bask in the Holiness of the Lord, relishing in the moments where you see God, and rest in the assurance that God sees you!

Let us pray;

To the One who sees me, forgive me when I take matters into my own hands. Teach me how to come into your presence with praise. Reveal yourself so that as I see You, I understand that You see me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

P.S. Join me next week as we discover God not only sees us, but God knows us.

Wanna go deeper? Listen to the praise song below. Read Isaiah 6:1-7. Read Genesis 16. Reflect on God’s holiness. Think about what it means to understand that God sees you.

Leave me a comment and tell me what resonated with you? Did you experience God? If you enjoy my weekly blogs, share this message with a friend and ask them to subscribe. I hope you experience God in new and incredible ways this week. -M