One day when I was feeling incredibly invisible and overlooked my devotional reading included a lineage. The last thing I wanted to read was a lineage. Instead, I wanted a scripture that would encourage my hurting heart. Nonetheless, I pressed forward with my reading. While I was reading who begat who and how many thousands waged war against the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab, I had a thought I knew emanated from God,
A lineage is more than a list of hard to pronounce names. It is a written record that God sees us. All of us. Every last one of us.
One of my favorite shows is Long Lost Family. Sometimes it is an adoptee searching for a birth parent. Other times the search is initiated by a sibling or birth parent. The stories are heartwarming and the common thread in each program is the human desire to be known.
We can take heart when we feel invisible because God see us.
“What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.” Matthew 10:29-30 NLT
This scripture speaks to your value and peace in Christ. When you let this scripture radiate in your heart you are filled with comfort because you know that you are valuable. You are not invisible. Your life and thoughts matter to God. He sees you. He loves you. Just think about how different your life would be if you rested in the truth that you are valuable to God? He sees your life and delights in your details.
I have lived many days believing the lie that I was invisible to God and people. The ache of feeling overlooked has filled my heart far too often. Then I encountered the lineage in my devotional reading. My initial resistance to reading the long list was replaced with the comfort that God sees me and you.
After reading the devotional I started to get ready for the day. As I brushed my hair I thought about the scripture where God says He numbers the hairs on our head. If you take one look at my hairbrush you can see that my daily hair count fluctuates. We are talking that is some serious counting. This scripture shows us that God is very present in every detail of our life. His careful attention to our lives means that we do not have to be afraid.
The long lineages with hard to pronounce names are there to help us see that God does not miss anything. We may not get the credit we deserve at work or home. We may feel invisible in certain areas of our personal or professional life. But God’s Word declares he takes notice when a single sparrow falls to the ground. Then He says our lives have more value than the sparrow
When you feel invisible or overlooked pause and reflect on His truth. He sees you and your life is of great value to Him.
Monica Schmelter is the host of Christian Television Network’s daily show Bridges. Bridges airs in over 50 million homes and is available on ROKU and online at monicaschmelter.com
