A few weeks ago, as we were driving in the car, Annalise piped up with one of those questions only a child can come up with.
“Mom, is my eyeball gonna fall out?”
Now my initial instinct was to tell her that was a crazy question and why in the world was she worried about something so far-fetched. But it wasn’t far-fetched in her world. To an 8-year-old, it probably seemed entirely possible that she could bend over and lose an eyeball. So I couldn’t just dismiss her very sincere question.
“No, Annalise. You’re eyeball isn’t going to fall out.”
She wasn’t satisfied with that blanket declaration and so I went on to explain that God created our eyeballs to be secure and safe in their sockets, that they’re attached by muscles and nerves and hemmed in by bones above, below and all around so that they can’t just fall out if we bend over. (That’s about as technical as I can answer off the top of my head; apologies to the medically trained who might be cringing at my layman explanation.)
She grew silent and my explanation seemed to assure her that her eyes were safe.
Until a few days later when she asked the exact question again. I very patiently told her that it was impossible for our eyeballs to fall out, again gave my basic anatomical know-how and assured her that I didn’t know anyone whose eyeball had ever fallen out.
Over the course of the next few weeks, Annalise periodically asked this question again — always in the car; always when there was some quiet thinking time — and I would give her the same answer. It was just physically impossible for her eyeball to fall out. (I’m pretty sure some of you are googling this right now.)
Annalise’s question reminded me of the times I’ve asked God some of my own questions. Even when they’re unfounded, when life gets hard or we are given a diagnosis or a notice at work, or we wake up to a life that has collapsed underneath us, our mind can begin to churn with all kinds of questions:
- Does God see my need?
- Does God care about me?
- Is God going to take care of me?
Those must seem like far-fetched questions to God, but they aren’t so far-fetched when it’s our life teetering on edge. And in God’s great love for us, He doesn’t dismiss our questions. We are in relationship with Him and we get to ask those questions. The psalms show us that David sure asked these kinds of questions on some of his hardest days.
- Yes, God sees our need.
- Yes, God loves us with an everlasting love.
- Yes, God will take care of us.
And though declaring it once should be enough, God assures us over and over that He is the God who sees, that He loves us and that He WILL take care of us. In fact, God’s Word tells us it’s impossible for Him to neglect us:
“Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne?
But even if that were possible, I would not forget you!” Isaiah 49:15
Does God see our need?
She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” Genesis 16:13
For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. Matthew 6:8
Does God care about me?
Cast all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7
And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. Ephesians 3:18
Will God take care of me?
But those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing. Psalm 34:10
And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19
You may be in a season of real testing, of waiting, of hope. Rest assured that God sees your need, He loves you with an inexhaustible love and He will take care of you.
How reassuring to hear those words again. Yes, like Annalise, I need to hear them again! Thanks for saying them!
Thanks for this message. It’s exactly what I needed to hear today!
Perfecting timing as I am in the midst of restoring n waiting on The Lord. I have been crying out to him for a few days now n this is one of the reassurances He sent me to show me, He sees me n is caring for all my needs. Praise be to God
Thanks for this message, it’s very timing in my situation right now, I feel like I have to stand still, everything is like a whirlwind around me, lots of family issues to take care of at the same time. Please pray for me. Thank you in advance. God bless.
Lisa, this is such a poignant and truth-filled post. And I had to laugh at your daughter’s question, as I have young children myself and am very familiar with these sincere concerns they have that seem to come out of nowhere. 😉 I love how you drew the parallel between the mind of a child and the way the adult mind works. Lovely. Blessed to find you at Grace & Truth.
Great insight Lisa! Comforting words of wisdom.
Hi Lisa! What a sweet question, so innocent! I’m glad she felt so comfortable asking you about it. That’s another great thing about going to God in prayer. He never thinks what we ask is silly or too repetitive. It’s always ‘be at peace’, and ‘come to me’.
You’re a great mom!
Your neighbor at #RaRa Linkup,
Ceil
True, Ceil!
Hi Lisa, these are such foundational truths… yet so easy to forget when the fear starts to rise. Thanks for sharing these at Grace and Truth this week. I’d love to feature this post. Can you provide a link back to one of the hostesses so it can be featured pretty please? 🙂 Thanks for being part of the community.
Yes, absolutely Arabah. I’ll link back to your site at ArabahJoy. Thank you for the feature and for hosting every week!
Hi, Lisa! 🙂 We so easily forget the character of the God we serve, don’t we? So, I’m thankful for this excellent reminder of Who our God is and how He feels about us, His children. Thanks for sharing at Grace and Truth last week!
Jen @ Being Confident of This
Thank you so much for this. I desperately needed to hear it. My entire world is falling apart and I have so many decisions to make and things to do that I can’t do anything. I need time, money, help, to cry, to go to sleep. I am just a big ball of need right now. Thank you for this encouragement.
Jenn, praying for you right now.
Hi Lisa! Stopping by from the Linkup and found this such a really excellent read. This reminder is never one we hear too often. It can be easy with life’s pressures and daily routines, our disappointments and the demands we face to be tempted to wonder if the Lord is truly seeing and hearing, whether our questions and concerns really matter to Him in the midst of the headlines and tragedies around the world. Thanks for sharing this good word!
Pam
Yep, I am sure that is how I sound to God.
No, I didn’t google it because I believe you 🙂
🙂
What an awesome article! Exactly what I needed to read/hear today. I feel silly asking for prayer considering there are so many others who are in greater need than I am and my problems seem very trivial. But my daughter is having chronic digestive issues and we have been trying to get to the bottom of it for years now. So frustrating. Also, hormonal and digestive issues for myself too that I can’t get any answers for. I just need to know God cares and hears my prayers because sometimes I feel it’s pointless because I pray ALL THE TIME about these issues…….
Amy,I will pray for these, for answers and relief. Thank you for sharing!
This is so good on so many levels.
First the persistent asking is not so much that we as God’s children do not believe Him when He tells us He will take care of us but that we need to hear it until His message sinks into our deepest being.
Reading the Word of God over and over and meditating on it so that it permeates our entire being is one way of calming our fears and anxieties with His reassurance especially when we have no one to reassure us the way you reassured your daughter several times.
Thank you for sharing.
So true, Miriam. And I think time lived with God and seeing Him faithful over and over helps that message sink deeply.
Timely post sweet sister! Saw the link through Pinterest! Our God is so creative in connecting His people.
Please if you would pray for our family. We are in the middle of a trying time. My mother was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. I flew out to be with her and start the journey strong… We have since learned that is has spread to her bones and possibly liver. While I was there, we got word that My husband has a mass in his throat… So I flew home to be with him… Surgery for his mass is scheduled for this Thursday… They send to pathology to biopsy… Meanwhile we are selling our house for a huge move to another state… The plumbing completely backed up from the street , (fixed) then the dishwasher broke… (Not fixed) … The roof blew apart… (Waiting on roofers to bid and to make the next move)… I have peace in spite of circumstances… But my humanity does weave in and out where we are weary… I would love prayers… I want all of Gods will!!! I know He will meet the needs… Just very painful and lengthy… Thanks sweet sister! Tiff
That’s an awful lot, Tiffany; I have already offered up prayer for you. <3
Thank you so much for this. Was on Pinterest looking for morning prayers and found you.I’m going through a struggle right now and this was perfect. It’s amazing to me that when your at a time when you question the most the answer finds you! God is truly all around us,we just don’t take the time to see!going to follow you on facebook. Thank you again for your words. God will lead me through my problems and I will question again but faith will aways bring me back. God bless you and you family and friends.
Hi Debbie. Thank you for this message. Me and hubby have been going through some tough stages. I just read your pages now which reminded me that God does love us
Very much needed to read this as reassurance as Im in the midst of a storm in my marriage. Please pray for me. Thank you!