Is God Paying Attention?

In this episode of Wake Up, Look Up, Pastor Zach reflects on the devastating humanitarian crisis in Sudan and the reality that many of the world's greatest tragedies often go unnoticed. He points to God's sovereignty and compassion, reminding us that while we can't carry the weight of every global crisis, God sees every nation and every individual. Looking to Hagar's declaration that God is "the God who sees me," Pastor Zach encourages listeners to find hope in the God who never overlooks anyone.

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Creators and Guests

Host

Zach Weihrauch

Follower of Jesus who has graciously given me a wife to love, children to shepherd, and a church to pastor.

What is Wake Up, Look Up?

Check out new episodes of our daily podcast, Wake Up, Look Up, with Zach Weihrauch as he interprets what's happening in our world through the lens of the gospel.

Hello everyone, and thanks for listening to Wake Up, Look Up, a podcast where we connect events happening in real time to the gospel of Jesus Christ. I'm Zach Weihrauch and in today's episode, we're asking the question, is God paying attention? This is prompted by a piece I read by the editorial board of the New York Times recently entitled, the world must wake up to the horror in Sudan. If you don't know what they're talking about, that kind of proves the point, I guess. But here's what it is. Sudan is a country that has been torn apart by a civil war. A civil war that has resulted in somewhere around 200,000 to 400,000 deaths. The United nations is warning this is the next human humanitarian catastrophe and says that over 600,000 people in Sudan face a shortage of food, water, and medicine. The conflict is pitting the Sudanese armed forces, the saf, against the RSF, and both sides have been accused of war crimes such as genocide, just wholesale murder of villages and tribes that do not belong to their side of the conflict. Now, what's interesting about this conflict is it's just not receiving the attention that, that other conflicts are. For instance, you can click on the news and you'll read about Ukraine and Russia. You'll read, of course, about the United States and Iran. You'll read about Israel and their various conflicts against, groups in the Middle East. We just won't see a lot about Sudan, even though its death toll is higher and, and rising incredibly at a quick pace than most of these other conflicts. what the editorial board of the New York Times is arguing is this story needs more attention, and it needs more political and social involvement from the United States government and its citizens. You know, when I read this article, I had a couple of thoughts. One is, I'll, just point out that I read the New York Times every day as part of primary prepping for this podcast, and they're not talking about Sudan. So, you know, I think it just kind of proves the point, Right? It's easy to point to other people and say they're the problem, but the New York Times is talking way more about President Trump every day than they are about anything else. Maybe a few less articles on how that much they hate President Trump and on the Sudan would solve their own problem. But the second thing is that I just feel information overload. I've said this before on this podcast, but we know more about the world today than at any point in human history. And every now and then, there's Somebody that comes along and says, you're not talking enough about this. You're not paying enough attention to this, Zach. You're not doing wake up lookups on this. We didn't pray for this in service. And the truth is, I just can't keep up with everything. Even doing a podcast that's five episodes a week. That's only five news stories a week. It's 260 a year. There's just too many news stories and, and too little time. but I'll tell you what else I thought this is one of the things that I need to be more thankful for and maybe you need to be more thankful for, and that is the sovereignty of God. I mean, this in a global sense, but also in a specific sense, globally. It is a comforting thought to me that God is aware of everything that is happening in the world right now. He sees the big picture, but he also sees the little picture. God is as present in the Sudan as He is anywhere else. He's never guilty of turning too much attention to one world problem and away from the other. He can hold all the problems of the world, all the people of the world in his mind and in his heart. That is staggering in his power and wisdom. but I also thought of this one passage in Genesis 16 where Hagar, you remember her, right? She's the. The servant of Sarah. Sarah had Abraham sleep with Hagar because she thought maybe she could engineer and heir that way. It doesn't go well. Leads to jealousy, bitterness. Finally, Abraham has to kick Hagar and her son Ishmael out of the family. They're wandering in the wilderness. And God actually shows up for Hagar. He affirms his love for her, his care for her. And then she says this in Genesis 16:13. It's beautiful. She says, you are the God who sees me. Hagar's saying, you know, I'm a forgotten person in this world. And in this story, I'm, not Abraham, I'm not Sarah. I'm just a nobody who got caught up in this crazy and weird love triangle and now has been chewed up and spit out. In fact, she will not appear in the story of Genesis again. She knows in the grand scheme of things, she's insignificant. But. But she also knows that God sees her. And I'm just praying this morning, God, thank you that you see Sudan. Thank you that you see the Sudanese. From what's going on, big picture in the country, to the smallest and most insignificant person in that country. Thank you that you see them. And that you care. Thank you that you are working. That doesn't mean I don't want to pray more for Sudan and when given opportunity, join in the effort to love those people. But today I'm simply thanking God that the universe that is too big for me fits in his hand, that people who are too small for me all the way over here in Ohio are not small to Him. He is the God who sees Sudan and ultimately that is their hope. Hey, thanks for checking out Wake Up, Look Up. For more content, be sure to visit the Christ Community Chapel app or website ccchapel.com.

Have an article you’d like Zach to discuss? Email us at [e-mail]!