No Casual Visitation

 

It is no mystery that social interaction is not what it used to be. The truth is, many of us are caught up in the busyness of life and, whether we realize it or not, have become socially displaced. We live in the digital era where we rather FaceTime than knock on a door, text instead of having face to face conversations, and post online rather than engage in person. Much of our interaction has shifted from physical spaces to digital ones, and even the rare in-person visits often feel brief and casual, nothing like the meaningful time shared “back in the day.”

The good news is, though world systems, society and people change, the GOD of the Bible remains the SAME. Hebrews 13:8 declares, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever." When we consider how casual many of our human interactions have become, it makes one truth even more profound: God’s interaction with humanity is anything but casual. The Psalmist David knew this and testified of it in Psalm 8, one of the most popular Psalms in the bible.

We often hear it in songs and sermons, “What is man, that You are mindful of him? and the son of man, that You visit him?” – Psalm 8:4. It is one of those scriptures which lives rent free in the mind of the Child of God. It sounds remarkably poetic and lyrical when recited ✨🎵. The words reverberate through our hearts and souls, and we bear witness to David’s expression through our personal experiences of the grace, love and mercy of God.

I have read this Scripture countless times, but one day as I read it again, I paused and began to reflect on it some more and, suddenly something shifted. I asked God a simple question, one that almost felt a little silly at the time: “God what does it mean that you VISIT me?” 🤔 And then it all came together as I looked up the exegesis (original language/meaning) of the word ‘VISIT’ which stood out to me that day. It completely transformed how I read and understood this Scripture and I can never read it the same way again. It revealed the character and nature of God in such a profound and beautiful way.

In the original Hebrew, the word translated as ‘visit’ is ‘paqad’ which means “to pay attention to, to care, to attend to, to remember”. Can we just pause and reflect on that for a minute?! 🤯 This adds greater depth to a scripture which is immensely powerful and layered. Friends, God visiting us is not a typical or casual visitation, it is not like human interaction. God visiting us means that He is paying attention to what’s going on in our lives and in the world, He is attending to our concerns and needs, He is caring for us in our time of affliction, He is remembering us in our distress and when we feel forgotten. 

What a great privilege we have! To be visited by the God of Heaven who we have access to because of Jesus Christ and the work of the Cross ✝️ 

God longs and desires to have relationship with His greatest creation, He is intentional on visiting us, He does not pop in for a quick hello; He pays attention to us, cares for us deeply, and attends to us with divine purpose. When you feel forgotten, abandoned, or uncared for, know this: God cares deeply for you, and Jesus loves you.

“What is man, that You are mindful of him? and the son of man, that You visit him?” David’s words are an expression of how God sees us as His creation, as His children and gives us a glimpse into the heart of the loving and embracing Father in Heaven. The same God, Elohim who created the firmament 🌌, the moon 🌙 , the oceans 🌊 and all the beauties and great wonders of this world is mindful of us, who are minute in comparison and intentionally visits us to care for us and attend to our matters. In last week’s blog, we explored Jacob’s divine encounters with God, which beautifully illustrate this.

Notably, the word ‘paqad’ (visit) is the same word used when the Lord visited Sarah to fulfill the promise of Isaac. Genesis 21:1 - Now the Lord visited (פָּקַד, paqad) Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as He had spoken. For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.

This holds deep significance, given the familiar story of Sarah not being able to conceive and bring forth an heir, waiting on God’s promise to come to pass. In Sarah’s affliction, God visited her, He remembered her, He paid attention to her during her time of waiting, He cared for her when others may have despised her and looked down on her, and He attended to her – fulfilling the very promise which He had spoken at the set time. The SAME GOD Who visited Sarah then, is the SAME GOD who visits you now. May we not miss the sacred moment when God chooses to paqad/visit because it’s no casual visitation! 

 

Blessings and Love,

Diana

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