Bible Society of South Africa

God sees us – do we see Him? – 4 November 2021

By Benescke Janse van Rensburg

Bible text(s)

James 4

8Come near to God, and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners! Purify your hearts, you hypocrites!

Hebrews 11

6No one can please God without faith, for whoever comes to God must have faith that God exists and rewards those who seek him.

Hebrews 11:6GNBOpen in Bible reader

This is something that happens easily. It is a trap that anyone can fall into. The Israelites in the wilderness did. Nine of the ten lepers that Jesus healed also did. And even a mighty king like Solomon did.

What is this trap? Dissatisfaction. Ungratefulness. Pride.

The Israelites experienced God’s deliverance from Egypt. God made a way for them through the Red Sea. He assisted them in the battle against the Amalekites and provided them daily with manna and quail. Yet, they did not see God’s hand. They were ungrateful. They started complaining and longed to return to Egypt.

Ten lepers were healed from leprosy. Only one returned to thank Jesus for his healing. Where were the rest?

And Solomon, who had everything and served God intimately, eventually became prideful and started worshipping idols with his foreign women. He no longer saw God.

God sees us in difficult times. The question is: Do we still see Him? Is He still our first priority? Has our prayer time become a time to go through the list of what we want Him to do for us or is it still a time where we stop to listen to what He wants to speak to us about? Do we remember to thank Him for breakthroughs we prayed for? And is there something that has taken the place in our lives that belongs to Him?

In James 4:8a we read: “Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.” Also in Hebrews 11:6 it is written: “He who draws near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

God sees us. Do we still see Him?

Prayer: Father God, I’m really sorry for every time I have put something other than You first in my life. Please make me aware of it so I can change it. I want to see you daily. I ask this in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen

Bible Society of South Africav.4.23.0
Find us on