NO MORE MR. CELLOPHANE
"Hagar thought, 'Have I really seen God and lived to tell about it?' So from then on she called Him, 'The God Who Sees Me.'"
Genesis 16:13 CEV
Have you ever struggled with feeling like a total nobody... like the invisible man who doesn't ever seem to get noticed? Tragically, lots of people experience this emotional malady.
In the movie Chicago, a penetrating song is sung by John C. Reilly titled Mr. Cellophane. The refrain reads as follows:
Cellophane
Mister Cellophane
Shoulda been my name
Mister Cellophane
'Cause you can look right through me
Walk right by me
And never know I'm there.
It is indeed sad when you feel like Mr. Cellophane. No doubt, many suicide victims would say that song from Chicago captured their life story.
But the good news is this: it's not true! No one is Mr. Cellophane! God is the God who sees you! His name is El Roi, "the God who sees me." And not only does God see you and me, but He looks out for you and me, too. He sees our situation and our sadness, and He comes to our aid. He is truly "a friend who sticks closer than a brother" (Proverbs 18:24).
GOD WINKS ARE LITTLE REMINDERS THAT GOD SEES YOU
A wonderful lady in my church introduced me to the term, a God wink. A God wink is the Lord showing you in a very real, tangible, and personal way that He sees you ... that He knows what you are going through ... that He cares. Has God winked at you lately?
Years ago, I found myself at a rather boring ministry dinner meeting. To help pass the time, I began memorizing the names of all the people on the platform, about 14 in total. One very quiet and reserved lady went to my church along with her husband (a church of 3500 attenders at the time). I had seen her a time or two from a distance, but that night I made the effort to memorize her name.
A few weeks later, I was greeting people at the doors to the church. When she came by, I gave her a hearty “good morning!” and called her by name, not thinking that much about it. A few days later, however, I received a note from her in the mail. She told me how much it meant to her that in a church our size, I knew her name. It made her feel so special before the Lord. It was a God wink moment, to say the least. Although she didn’t verbalize it this way, it was an El Roi encounter. God sees me, little ole me!
THE GREATEST MIRACLES ARE SOMETIMES SMALL
We like to talk about the great miracles of the Bible. Who doesn’t enjoy reading about the parting of the Red Sea, the feeding of the 5,000, and the resurrection of Lazarus? Great miracles are great blessings that increase our faith. But, let’s be honest, great miracles are not everyday occurrences, are they? God is certainly the God of the supernatural, but He is also the God who works in the natural. He is the God who often winks at us as a daily reminder that He sees us and cares for us.
There have been times in my life when I have felt alone in a struggle or a trial. In my pain, I have cried out to the Lord, “Show me a sign for good” (Psalm 86:17). And God has answered that prayer through an email of encouragement, a phone call of concern, or an unexpected visit of appreciation. God has winked at me in direct response to my prayer to let me know He is still El Roi. He still sees me.
Praise God for the Red Sea miracles … and praise God for the little winks of love!
MR. CELLOPHANE?
Don’t go another minute believing the devil’s lie that you are not important and special to God. You are so important to God that He sacrificed His own Son to redeem your soul. Cast your cares upon Him, because He cares for you (see 1 Peter 5:7). Ask Him today for a God wink and see what happens. Who knows, this very post you are reading could be God’s way of letting you know He sees you, right where you are. He knows your name, and He will see you through as you trust Him.
Love,
Pastor Jeff Schreve,
From His Heart Ministries
Dr. Jeff Schreve believes that no matter how badly you may have messed up in life, God still loves you and has a wonderful plan just for you. From His Heart provides real truth, love and hope on over 700 radio stations each day, in 182 countries each week on TV, and is always available online. Pastor Jeff takes no income from this ministry. All donations go to furthering the broadcast outreach. As a listener/viewer supported ministry, we thank you for joining with us to help speak the truth in love to a lost and hurting world. Go to www.fromhisheart.org for more information.
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