God Sight

“I in them, and Thou in Me…Thou didst send Me, and didst love them, even as Thou didst love Me…that the love wherewith Thou didst love Me may be in them, and I in them.” -John 17:23b, 26b

This past Sunday during communion I went searching in John (probably my favorite gospel, if you’re allowed to have a favorite) for a Word that would ready my heart for “remembrance”. I couldn’t help but wind my way back to the Vine and Branch speech; I love reading about how we are connected to Jesus and the ways in which He ensures our growth in Him! I then moved on to Jesus’ prayer time, and I couldn’t wait to get to the part where I am included. “I do not ask in behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in me through their word…” (John 17:20)

In my devotional time this past week I have been responding to questions about my “early years” (those of you who know that I’m 25 will get a kick out of that statement – well, now all of you know!). These questions have had me remember back and try and recognize GodSpots during that time. Well, I love doing this because I am always amazed at how my God, and yours, gets His hands dirty on our behalf. I lived in a mess of danger and chaos the first 5 years, and a few plus, of my life, but as I look back I see where God put His pure, holy, strong right hand right in the midst of a “fear factor” kind of situation and grabbed a hold of me. And guess what girls, He hasn’t let go yet! I get chills, tears, and a smile just thinking about it. Ooh, got goin’ on that, back to John chapter 17.

So Sunday, as I scanned that wonderful section of His remembrance of us, God shed light within my heart and mind on two verses, 17:23 and 26. In these verses Jesus speaks the Truth about how God sees us. Yes, God made us each individually unique and special to Him. He made Anastasia, He made ___________ (your name can go there!) and He knows us and our forms – even before we were thought of on this earth! But God also looks upon us with the same love and affection that He has when he gazes at His Son. If we are believers in Christ, we are as Christ is to Him. That means something.

I know for me, when I have watched another parent’s child that though I may love them, teach them, and nurture them in my own way, I do not look at them with the same heart and mind as I do my 3 boys. I tell ya, at night I’m exhausted and waiting for the slightest motion of a yawn from one of them so I can say “Bed time!”, but by the time I lay my head down on my pillow, if I’m coherent enough to have a thought, I’m thinking about seeing them for the first time in the morning. So, it is hard for me to understand how our great God who’s Son is perfect can look at me (us) and see the same image. Amazing! Nothing less than True Love right there!

I continue to meditate on those words now – right now actually. And I’m so thankful I read them on Sunday – a time in which I was able to commune all the more with my God because I caught a glimpse of how He sees me; hence, how He feels about meeting with me over His Son’s “body” and “blood”. I’m also so thankful that I am reading them now because it gives me strength in knowing who I am in Him.

Be blessed my sis’s in Christ, and remember in those times when you’re squinting to see anything good in the spiritual mirror to take a look through God’s lenses. His vision never fails!