Reach Out with Faith

In the church where I grew up, we enjoyed the accompaniment of two primary instruments during the hymns we sang: the piano and the organ. On rare occasions, one of the deacons might play his guitar during worship music. So, when our youth choir was given the opportunity to include a tambourine in a performance, I volunteered to play.

I was handed the little percussion instrument with no instructions. I’d had a few years of piano lessons, along with one year of middle school band. I figured I would simply shake the tambourine to the beat of the song.

With each rehearsal, we improved—myself included, or so I thought. But then the day before the performance, I was told that my playing wasn’t on beat, so the tambourine was being removed from the ensemble.

Without any coaching to help me improve or any demonstration on how to use the tambourine, I’d lost the chance to add more music to our church’s service. I felt overlooked and sidelined. Couldn’t they see how hard I was trying, how much I wanted to learn and do my best?

In the Old Testament, Hagar knew how it felt to be overlooked and dismissed. Hagar was a slave to Abram and Sarai—the old, barren couple God had promised children to. They became impatient with God, so Sarai told Abram to marry and sleep with Hagar, hoping they could bypass God’s plan and have children through her. This was a common practice at the time, but God was not okay with it. Hagar, sadly, had no choice but to obey, and she became pregnant. Then Sarai treated her so harshly that Hagar ran away. Alone in the desert, she heard God speak to her. In response, Hagar used a new name for the Lord: “You are the God who sees me†(Genesis 16:13).

In times when we feel invisible, we can turn to the Lord. He loved us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die and raise from the dead so He could forgive us and make us His children if we put our trust in Jesus. The God who saw Hagar is the God who sees us too. • Allison Wilson Lee

• When have you felt overlooked? Was it difficult to turn to God in those times? Why or why not?

• How can God’s truth encourage us when we feel invisible?

But the Lord watches over those who fear him, those who rely on his unfailing love. Psalm 33:18 (NLT)

Read Verses:

Psalm 32:8; Mark 6:30-44; John 6:1-14; 1 Peter 4:10-11