In our world where social media dominates our lives, a political scene has more moving parts than a circus, and a deeply rooted spirit of fear can paralyze our societies and our individual lives. It is necessary to understand what it means to serve the God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
In recent months, I’ve been going back through the Old Testament, and while this is the same Bible I’ve read multiple times, I have found myself in the pages of these stories more than ever before. You see, the Old Testament is about more than great heroes of faith or the stubbornness of Israel; it contains more than a history of the kings and the prophets. It houses the stories of individuals and families, cities and countries that came to realize God was a God of the details.
Comfort in Times of Loss
Genesis 23–24 tells of the loss of Sarah—Abraham’s wife and Isaac’s mother—and the journey of Abraham’s servant back to his master’s homeland to find a wife for Isaac. Isaac was born to his parents as a miracle, a promise. He entered life knowing God had set him apart to be something bigger than himself, yet in those moments he found himself dealing with the loss of his mother, the possible fear of losing his father, loneliness, and what could probably be defined as a lack of direction.
The story continues to tell the way Isaac and his wife Rebekah met. When Abraham sent his servant, the servant asked the Lord for a specific sign that the girl was right for his master’s son. While this entire story is riddled with “details” and specifics God worked in their favor, my point is found in the very last verse of chapter 24. When the servant brought Rebekah back to Isaac, Scripture says he was out in a field meditating.
His meditation is the part that caught my eye and my breath. It reads, “And she became his wife, and he loved her, and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death” (Genesis 24:67). When I read this verse, I was overwhelmed by the simple reminder that God sees you where you are and cares to bring peace to your heart and comfort to your spirit. When we deal with situations in life that seem completely beyond our control—when loss makes it hard to smile and pain keeps our memories fresh—we have a God of the details who can turn a season of mourning into a time of healing and blessing.
God Notices Our Silent Grief
We know our God can part the waters, raise the dead, and heal the sick, but sometimes we have more trouble believing He cares enough to notice our silent grief or loneliness. We assume our wounds are unimportant to a God who sees all, and continue living our lives, never asking for the restoration we crave so deeply. Scripture reminds us of the care God has for His people.
If you’ve found yourself in a season of loss, pain, or maybe transition, I urge you to grab your Bible and flip through the stories of God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Encourage yourself in the knowledge that He sees you, and He knows your heart. Our God is a God of the details.
Resources and Links
A Light in Darkness: Stories of Grief and Loss – The loss of a loved one can leave us at a loss for words. Even those who want to offer comforting words may have difficulty expressing themselves. Sometimes silence is best. At other times it can help to hear from someone who has been there, someone who has walked the lonely road of grief. These stories are like letters from friends who have already walked through the valley of the shadow of death. Parents who have lost a child, spouses who have lost a lifelong partner, even a child who has lost his parents share the heartache, pain, and glimmers of hope that they have experienced during a time of loss.