Finding out a person’s characteristics can be scary, intimidating, and overwhelming at times. When you are trying to get to know a person and maybe you hadn’t realized that they had the temper of an angry drunk or that they give gifts more than you would expect on Christmas. For the most part, this stage in a friendship has the potential to be very interesting.

Lately, I have been witnessing firsthand two characteristics of the Lord that maybe I had seen before but now they have been shining through more than ever.

The first characteristic comes from Genesis 16:13 with the story of Sarai and Hagar. “So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, ‘You are a God of seeing,’ for she said, ‘Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.’” The God who sees. El Roi. What a comforting feeling to know that God didn’t blink or skip over me when he was doing his scan of the day. He sees my bad days, my good days. He sees me on my runs, at my house…The list goes on. Not only does our God see, but he understands and he knows.

The second characteristic that I have greatly enjoyed getting to know is in Genesis 22:14 – “So Abraham called the name of that place, ‘The Lord will provide.’” Jehovah Jireh. These two characteristics have been seemingly hand-in-hand. The Lord sees our needs and thus provides. The Lord will surely provide motivation for me in times of finals. The Lord will surely provide me with strength to get through a valley. The Lord will surely provide himself. He will show provision.

I am immensely blessed to be able to know my God sees my life and provides through it – bringing warmth. mmmmmm.

[originally posted 5.5.2012]