Have you ever found yourself separated from your "group" in a crowded place, petrified with fear? There are a handful of times in my life that I have felt this way, but there's one particular story that has stayed with me.
On July 4th when I was around 7 years old, I vividly remember getting lost during a firework show. I had walked to the bathroom with my cousin. We spent what felt like hours trying to get back to our parents. I remember everything being so dark, with only the flashes of the fireworks as opportunities to see the crowd. I remember beginning to feel very worried that we were never going to find our way back. As we scanned through family after family, I felt completely helpless being unable to see. I had reached a point where I put my hand on a lady's shoulder and called out, "Mom?" The lady calmly responded, "I'm not your mom, sweetie." Fear and embarrassment struck through my body, and I worried that we were going to be lost for good.
As I kept pushing through the crowd, I started whispering "Mom" repeatedly in hopes that my mom would somehow hear me. After what felt like hours (but was likely a few minutes), I heard a voice respond back to me about 20 feet from where I was walking. As I called out, "Mom," I heard the words, "I'm right here."
Relief swept through me and I immediately knew I was safe again. I found my way back to my mom. She was in exactly the same spot as when I had left, but I was so disoriented from walking away that I couldn't remember where to find her. She didn't get up or leave me. She was right there the whole time, waiting for me to come back. And she most certainly would not have left without me.
I share all of this to say, I feel God has reminded me of this story as a parallel to the current season of turmoil and isolation. Many of us have found ourselves in 2020 feeling lost, alone, and perhaps even in place beyond the point of repair. Being perfectly honest, I certainly have had times throughout this season in which I've asked God, "Why are you letting this happen? Where are you? I can't see you!"
Looking back to this story of getting lost as a child, there are some notable things that serve as a great reminder of how God views His children.
1.) As I called out for my mom, I didn't get a response right away. But as soon as my mom knew I was looking for her, she called back to me and helped me find my way back.
“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13
God is not some trickster that plays hide and seek with His children. If we call out to Him, He is always ready to come and make Himself known to us. Furthermore, this verse reminds us of His promise to respond when we seek Him with our whole heart.
2.) My mom never left me. I lost sight of her and became disoriented from the darkness and the crowd, but she was present the whole time and never would have left without me.
Similarly, God is *always* present. Sometimes I think we really lose sight of this. With the world being in such a tumultuous time, it's hard to see clearly. It's easy to latch onto other things and mistake something in the shadows for our Father. But God is not a God that leaves us high and dry. He is always faithful, and will always answer us. Furthermore, when we choose to take time to learn His voice well by spending time in Scripture and prayer, we are able to easily distinguish His response amidst the noise as we call out on His name.
If you find yourself in a season of feeling lost, I encourage you to be reminded of the truth that God is with you.
“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.” Acts 17:24-27
Until next time,
Tamara
