Last week, I sat in Convocation feeling exhausted and lost. I was overwhelmed with senioritis and uncertain about my future after college as I listened to Gloria Umanah, the executive director of the Ex-Nihilo Collective and Liberty University alumna, speak on stage at the Vines Center.
Even though my mountain of Canvas assignments and Outlook inbox felt like impending doom as my phone kept sending me a flurry of notifications, I knew I needed to focus on Umanah’s speech as she discussed the importance of being proactive in the faith. She said Satan’s arsenal usually comes in the form of lies and deception so he can try to immobilize Christians by simply tricking them into believing falsehoods as truth.
She warned that once Christians accept these lies, it means that the enemy has found a way to pierce through the believer’s trust in God, which can quickly lead to distorted faith and a doubtful mindset. In order to combat the divisive tactics of the enemy, Christians must remember 1 Peter 5:8 and be watchful of the enemy’s attacks.
Toward the end of her speech, Umanah announced she would read a series of lies from the enemy, and she encouraged students to be bold and to stand up if a particular lie resonated with them.
Suddenly, I found myself standing up in the crowd as Umanah read the lie, “No one will notice if I disappear.” This lie hit home for me because I had always struggled with feeling stuck in the shadows, barely noticed or just the last person to be picked for the team, job or class project. As Umanah continued reading off other lies about misplaced identity and worth, one of my friends stood up beside me and whispered, “I’d notice if you’d disappear,” and that simple statement reminded me of how Jesus loves us and chooses us.
Despite my worries, I was encouraged by my friend’s kind words since it reminded me that Jesus is the one who truly loves and sees us.
In Luke 15, Jesus gives listeners a clear reminder of how he is willing to leave the 99 in order to take care of the one sheep that went astray. While we may feel insignificant, Christ, in his infinite love and grace, goes out of his way to ensure we can be reunited with him.
Near the end of the parable, Jesus states in Luke 15:6: “And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’”
Not only does the good shepherd seek to make our way secure, but he also rejoices when we are reunited with him and growing in our relationship with him. He does not want us to feel invisible or discouraged; instead, he rejoices when we are willing to surrender our will to him and joyfully accept his embrace. After all, he is El Roi, “the God who sees me” (Genesis 16:13).
Davis is the Editor-in-Chief for the Liberty Champion.