God sees it differently!
Few weeks back I was staying in a Travelodge in London on a work visit. I was slightly disappointed with few missed opportunities earlier that month and I was regretting over it. When I was praying about it, God spoke to me through this verse in Zechariah 3.
The Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?” Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.”
What a powerful reminder of God’s grace! Joshua the high priest was dressed in filthy clothes but God didn’t see the filthiness. God saw something beyond Joshua’s filthiness. God saw a burning stick snatched from fire! God saw the potential in Joshua’s life. God saw Joshua differently! And God said to me “You might see missed opportunities and bad decisions but I see things differently. Start seeing things the way I see”. May be you are seeing disappointments and people mis-treating you or you might see that you are filthy and unworthy. But God sees your potential and value. God sees you through the blood of Jesus Christ shed for you in calvary. God sees you differently!
By the time Jesus visited Mary and Martha Lazarus was already in the tomb for 4 days. When Jesus asked to remove the stone, Martha replied saying “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” Isn’t that interesting Martha “saw” decayed bones and rotten body. But Jesus saw the glory of God. You might be seeing missed opportunities and lost dreams. But God is seeing resurrection power working in your life.
There is another beautiful story in the book of Genesis. Hagar was in a desperate situation. She and her son were wandering in a scorching desert and they ran out of water. She could not watch her boy die and so she turned away from her dying boy and began to sob. The bible says,
When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes.Then she went off and sat down about a bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch the boy die.” And as she sat there, she began to sob. God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.”
What a heart breaking situation that must have been. But isn’t that interesting that Hagar in her dire situation “saw” her boy dying without water. But God saw a GREAT NATION!!!
Myself and my wife were recently given an opportunity to pioneer kids and youth ministry in a local church. I was praying about how to start this work as there are only 2 kids in the church and both are 3 year old toddlers. Initially I felt that I should organise big events and bring more kids before I start doing something. But interestingly God asked me to start something with what we have. It was then God reminded me about this story of Hagar. God said to me “you might be seeing two 3 year old toddlers but I see things differently. I am seeing two great line of families coming out of them and doing mighty things for me. I am seeing their sons and daughters and their grandchildren. So don’t ever take them lightly.”
So the question is what are you seeing today? Do you see frustration and hopelessness like Hagar? God sees future and hope as he promised in Jeremiah 29:
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
You might see ruins but God sees Glory. You might see failure but God is seeing a success. You might see loss and pain. But God sees growth, potential, healing and forgiveness. You might see a tomb with dead dreams and past pain and regrets but He is seeing resurrection power working in your life.
God is saying,
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?”
The question is “Do you not perceive it”? Start seeing the way God sees.
