Being Seen But Not Seeing

I was reading in the Bible a few days ago when a particular passage got my attention. It basically spoke of God's being able to see us, to care for us, and to know our needs. It also spoke of our own inability to see Him clearly. I thought of this passage as I also remembered an incident back in the fall in our neighborhood. It has been my privilege since I retired three years ago to walk the paved paths each morning for a couple of miles or so. One of my neighbors, a man who appears to be in his early fifties, typically walks at the same time I do. Since we both live in the friendly South, I have always expected some type of greeting from him, yet I have never received one. He always wears dark sunglasses, listens to his IPod, and seems oblivious to the rest of the world. As for me, I have always smiled and nodded my head as we passed in opposite directions.

One day, however, I saw him coming toward me. I was walking on the left side, as we are instructed to do in order to see upcoming traffic, and he was coming toward me on the same side. We approached each other steadily until he became quite startled that I was so close to him. He said, "I didn't know anyone was there!" Since that time I have not seen him walk the paths. It occurred to me at the time that perhaps he was losing his sight, perhaps he had some type of macular degeneration and had decreased vision.

As I reflect upon the idea of being seen but not seeing, I am thankful that I believe in a higher power Who sees and cares for me at all times. When times of crises arrive, I know that I am not excused from hurt or pain anymore than anyone else is. I know though that He will walk with me through that time. I so much want to see Him more clearly, to love Him more dearly--as the praise song goes--but until that day and we come face to face I must walk in faith.