Notes on Hope Devotional

Being Seen

Psalm 10:14 (CSB)
“But you yourself have seen trouble and grief, observing it in order to take the matter into your hands. The helpless one entrusts himself to you; you are the helper of the fatherless.”

In the Old Testament, in the book of Ruth, we see a glimpse of what it’s like to be invisible. In Chapter 2, we see the young Moabite widow, Ruth, go to the field her mother-in-law recommends. Up to this point, Ruth has been widowed, uprooted, and homeless, then decides to tag along with her mother-in-law to go back to her homeland. Being seen was not something Ruth was familiar with.

When she goes to the field, she falls behind the others, picking up the leftover grain. She knows how to stay unnoticed, hang back, and stay out of the crowd like a shadow. Then, along comes the field owner, Boaz. He sees her, asks his workers about her, then speaks to her. With her eyes to the ground, Ruth speaks what’s on her heart in verse 10, “Why are you so kind to notice me, although I am a foreigner?” Ruth was seen, noticed, and recognized by someone. Her unmet need to be seen was met.

Like Ruth, some of us feel invisible, unnoticed, and overlooked. We’ve grown accustomed to the sense that we carry an unmet need. Like Ruth, we have our reasons for staying invisible; we feel like a foreigner, we feel like we don’t belong, or we think only special people get noticed. What if we considered being aware of our need to be seen in a healthy way? What if I am really seen by the Creator of the universe?

I love the quote by C. S. Lewis, “God has infinite attention to spare for each one of us. You are as much alone with him as if you were the only being he had ever created.” Somehow, that sounds like we are seen as if we are the only one in the room. Not just that we are seen; we are given infinite attention!

Relish and reflect for a moment on that. You are seen and noticed by your Abba Father. God sees you, your situation, your pain, your grief, waiting to embrace you and hold you close. It’s a promise.

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for seeing me, knowing me, in all my brokenness and pain. Help me receive Your loving embrace as I entrust myself to You. In Jesus Name, Amen.