Question to think about: Have you stopped and noticed the presence of God today?
I could not help but notice the glow of the skies as the sun set on my drive along the country roads last night. I have missed seeing a good portion of sunsets in my life because . . . well . . . apparently I am too busy to notice. As the skies morphed from one color to the next, I thought about how God is purposeful in all things . . . perhaps the sunset is one of those things that God has created for us to take time to notice. When we stop and take time to notice what God has done, our perspective changes.
The thing is . . . God always notices you and I.
John took time to reference a woman that would have routinely been dismissed in the ancient days. Even to write about a Samaritan woman would have seemed unnecessary in the culture of that era. But he did. Why? It was an important component to understanding Jesus and understanding how to become a follower:
The Samaritan woman, taken aback, asked, "How come you, a Jew, are asking me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?" (Jews in those days wouldn't be caught dead talking to Samaritans.) (John 4:9, The Message)
Jesus purposefully took a different route to Galilee and purposefully took time to notice someone that had no value or necessity to others. Without a doubt, Jesus understood where the woman was in life and what she needed. The fact that Jesus noticed the woman must have blown her away.
When you get down to it, doesn't it blow you away that the Creator of everything in the universe and beyond notices the details of every individual? And in turn, as we follow Christ, God with us, we are given the assignment to take time to notice others. At one time or another, we all need to know that we have value and that we are necessary.
Stop.
Look around . . . pay attention.
Take time to notice God.
Celebrate that God always notices you. Be grateful.
Ask God who needs to be noticed today and let them know they are noticed.
Learning with you to take time to notice,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
