Today’s scripture: Psalms 139:16-18 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Lynnette Pullen):
It seems that there are too many reality shows on every television station these days. I typically don’t watch them but I heard about one a few years back that caught my interest. The premise is about people who have “flat-lined” or died. . . and come back. These people have had an experience that caused them to be clinically dead, however were revived shortly after. These people claim to have afterlife experiences in which some encounter God. I must admit, I watch this show regularly and am often so engaged I find myself holding my breath at times. One afternoon, I was deeply engaged in this show while a young man was telling his experience.
This young man says that he had a very brief encounter in heaven. He had been electrocuted and his heart and lungs were no longer functioning. He realized he was dead and was in God’s presence. All of a sudden, he heard God speak his name. He equated it to thunder speaking. Then as quickly as he passed he was revived. As I heard this story, and quite to my surprise, I started to cry. Not a quiet tear shed either, a big, sobbing, heaving cry.
I had no idea what had come over me. I knew they were tears of sadness but I couldn’t figure out why. I was so embarrassed I didn’t tell my family, but it bugged me. After some time, I realized that I was deeply fearful that God didn’t know my name, and more specifically that God didn’t know me. I think in the deepest part of my heart I wondered if I was invisible to God like I seem to be to other people in this world. I mean, God is. . . well, “God.” And I am one of billions. I am one drop in a vast ocean. I expressed my grief to God and these verses were laid upon my heart:
Your eyes saw my body even before it was formed.
You planned how many days I would live.
You wrote down the number of them in your book
before I had lived through even one of them.
God, your thoughts about me are priceless.
No one can possibly add them all up.
If I could count them,
they would be more than the grains of sand.
If I were to fall asleep counting and then wake up,
you would still be there with me.
Prayer for the day: God, sometimes this world can make us feel invisible and forgotten. It is a scary feeling to think you do not know us — our thoughts, our fears, our joys and aspirations. Yet your word says that you know us intimately. Please send us signs to remind us of how much you care for us. Help us to remember the love you have for us and teach us to show that love to each other. Amen.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.