I have heard, I have seen

And the word of the Lord came to Isaiah, saying “Go and tell Hezekiah, Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears……Isaiah 38:5

I came across this passage recently and I remember the day years ago that it leaped off the page to me. We had just learned that our newborn son had been born with a severe heart defect. He appeared healthy at birth, but only a few hours of having him home he became very sick. He turned blue and cold and hours later we were surrounded by 5 doctors giving us devastating news.

To make matters worse, David and I both became sick with a stomach virus and we were not able to see our son or be with him. I was so confused, angry and felt completely hopeless. We had prayed for a healthy child and here we were looking at 3 open heart surgeries all before 3 years of age. Some of his doctors were concerned that he would not even survive the first surgery. So I was at home sick, with my son very sick over an hour away in the hospital, and I broke. I broke down and cried out to God asking Him to help me, to show me that He had not left us. I flipped my Bible open to Isaiah 38 and these words leaped off the page to me. “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears.” (Isaiah 38:5)  I know in this passage God was speaking to Hezekiah but in that moment He was also speaking to me!

As I read those words, my son was not instantly healed nor did I receive any magical answer as to why this was happening. I did receive unexplainable peace just knowing He was with me. He was with me and yes He had most definitely heard my prayers and seen my tears. His heart was breaking with mine. He was whispering “just hold fast to me and trust me…I’m not done yet, I am doing something amazing and beautiful and I have chosen you to be a part of it.”

Take heart and know that not only has God heard your prayers, He is faithful to answer your prayers. (Jeremiah 33:3) And not only has He seen your tears, scripture tells us He keeps a record of each one. (Psalm 56:8) He is always working even when we can’t see evidence of it. We must believe He is for us! He will never leave us!

So three open heart surgeries later, here we are. Daylen is a beautiful, smart and amazing child of God. Yes we went through crazy ups and downs, but this whole journey has been completely God filled. Our God sees, hears, and knows. He is with us and He is forever faithful.