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“Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only be still.”
Exodus 14: 13-14

Have you ever looked at an image magnified onto one part and try to guess what it is?

I remember one of my teachers in school loved doing this with us. He’d show us a picture and he’d revel in stumping us. We would shout out guesses at him, as he sat with a knowing grin. Of course, we would be in awe as he revealed the whole picture. Our guesses were usually way off the mark because we had to guess by only seeing a few tiny parts, we had no idea what the big picture looked like.

That’s a perfect description of the last few years of my life as I walk this widowhood journey. Like the magnified picture, I can only see this one part and at times I’m not really sure of God’s plan. I might see glimpses of it, but sometimes, I’ll step out and try to guess what my picture (His plan for me) might be. I definitely always miss the mark. I often, in the weak moments, even question what God’s doing because I can’t see the big picture.

In the book of Exodus, we read that Moses is about to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, and they have just witnessed God perform wondrous miracles to secure their freedom. They are happy and hopeful.

Then they run into all kinds of trials and troubles as they travel away from Egypt. Each circumstance becomes their magnified picture. They immediately question God and at times turn from Him and openly sin and rebel. God continues to draw them back and reveal Himself to them, but each time things go wrong again, they are right back to their sin-filled unfaithful ways…and this continues for generations!

In our lives as widows we live in a magnified picture. We don’t know what the big picture really looks like anymore. We have our fears, worries, and doubts. We are charged with raising children without husbands; making financial decisions, running households, holding down jobs, carrying additional responsibilities, planning for our futures, making major decisions, and basically becoming “the buck stops here” person in our family. It’s tough!

But, we have a choice each day and in each moment. We can be like the unfaithful Israelites questioning God at every hurdle. Or we can trust that He knows and sees our big picture, and even though He allows trials, He is creating an amazing image, that when revealed in its entirety we will stand in awe, just as my classmates and I were so many years ago.

Each time my teacher played that game with us he drove home the point that we needed to remember since we don’t get to see the big picture in life, we should embrace the magnified view.

As I reflect, I am challenged by this today. I will intentionally choose to embrace, to trust, and to be still. Please join me!

Father, Help us to embrace the magnified view, knowing that You see and are orchestrating the finished product. Help us to turn our cares, our hurts, and our worries over to You. Reassure us so that we don’t try to step out and guess or try to do this alone. Help us to be still and to remember that You are creating something beautiful, that what You are creating is for Your glory. In Your Matchless and Glorious Name, Amen.