Seeing the Invisible
I was Zoom caller 219 out of 428, not even a blip on the screen. This was one of those meetings where I was muted, and there were no video images other than the presenter. The only way to interact was to type unanimously into the chat, and if your question was deemed one they wanted to answer, then it was discussed.
I felt overlooked.
The world can feel distant like we’re not on the same page or the same screen. We’re a census number, a paycheck, a tax dollar, or an object to drive around. Masks add to the feeling of invisibility. I passed a good friend of mine at the store because I didn’t recognize her with half her face hidden.
God doesn’t overlook people.
There was a woman with a bleeding issue. She’d spent all her money on doctors only for her problem to worsen. Back in those days, when a woman bled, she was considered unclean. They even had special tents where a woman stayed during her menstruation to keep them separate. Twelve years she dealt with this incurable disease, and its isolation. Hope seemed like a luxury until she heard of a man named Jesus who had healing powers. She thought if she could just touch his robe, she’d be healed.
She stood in the crowded street, jam-packed with people who’d come to see Jesus. The disciples rushed Jesus through because a prominent Synagogue leader’s daughter had become deathly ill. The woman nudged through the crowd, jostled by the throng, waiting for a glimpse of Jesus. As he passed, she squeezed her arm out and touched the hem of his cloak. Jesus froze and turned to the disciples asking, “Who touched me?”
I can imagine the jolt of panic that coursed through the woman. How did he know? Was the healer going to scold her for her overreach? The shame of being unclean burned her cheeks as she confessed, but Jesus looked her in the eye. The rest of the crowd watched with curiosity—who is this woman? The disciples tugged on his arm with a we-need-to-go look, but Jesus stilled them with a hand. He didn’t admonish her. He called her daughter and praised her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering (Mark 5:34).”
God sees us.
The busyness of the world doesn’t force God to de-prioritize our importance. Most would think the dying little girl would have taken precedence, but at that moment Jesus knew the desperation of the bleeding woman. To Him, every need is great. Her being unclean didn't stop him from speaking to her, nor from saving the dying child. God sees us. A mask won't hide our faces from him. He sees our hearts and calls us daughter or son. He knows our hopes, our desires, and the insecurities we try to hide. He understands the areas in our lives where we’re hemorrhaging physically or emotionally. Nothing remains hidden from the God of the universe. He welcomes us with open arms and instructs us to lay our troubles at His feet.
Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. – 1 Peter 5:7
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