to see, anew, again,

Last night Priscilla spoke at St Luke’s in Kentish Town. Her central sharing point of her talk was from Genesis 16: 13 when Hagar is alone, unwed, abused and pregnant in a desert. The angel of the Lord comes to her, and sees her. Here are the verses,
“She (Hagar) gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen[c] the One who sees me.”
While Priscilla was speaking, I received a flashing email from a friend about our former church home in NYC, Redeemer Presbyterian Church. Leo Schuster the Lead Pastor of the Upper East Side congregation was resigning. After four years. He and his wife Ellen are returning to Texas to be closer to family. I know them, love them. They are simply lovely. I know this was a hard decision for them. As I was reading this, Priscilla shared this scripture (Genesis 15) about Abram:

… the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision:
“Do not be afraid, Abram.
I am your shield
your very great reward.”
But Abram said, “Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”
Then the word of the LORD came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”
Priscilla then said her first point from a question she asks about the scripture: the God who sees; sees Abram even though Abram just sees his own 86 year body. Abram has to go outside himself and look up and see the stars.
My heart and mind moved back to Leo and Ellen; Redeemer and Tim. I thought of-I believe by the spirit to Paul’s comments on this passage in Romans 4.
‘Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.’
So Priscilla is right on spot: what are we looking it? God sees us; RPC; Tim; Kathy; Leo
Leo-Ellen thank you for sharing your stars with us in NYC.

Tags: Leo and Ellen Schuster, Redeemer church NYC