He Sees Me

"I have called you by your name; you are Mine. 

You have been honored and I have loved you."

Isaiah 43:1,4 NKJV

This weekend we had the joy of attending a close relative's wedding.  It was a beautiful ceremony.  Everyone was enthralled with the beauty of the bride, for she was truly breathtaking.  As everyone discussed what they liked best about the wedding, one thing stood out to me...that look.  As we all stood to watch the bride come down the aisle, I happened to look back at the groom.  His eyes were fixated on her. As she approached the alter he never looked away, not even for a minute.  As her father placed her hand into the groom's, he did not look down at her hand in his, instead his gaze never left her eyes.  Throughout the entire ceremony he looked as if he were looking into the depths of who she was.  It was as if he looked beyond the beautiful dress, beyond the flowers and veil, and just saw her. 

Isn't it amazing how we can see Christ in everything if we only take the time to look?  As I pondered that look, I began to think about how Christ sees me. Oh how often I want to dress myself in good works, a veil of charity and a bouquet of sacrifice.  "Am I beautiful now," I ask, as I reach the alter.  He fixates His eyes on me.  He peers into me, deeper than even I know.  He never once looks at my dress or adornments, but instead He sees me.  Just me. 

How is it that He cannot seem to take His eyes off of me?  How is it that He finds just me, beautiful and valuable?  How is it that just me, is enough?  How is it that as imperfect as I am, He is enthralled with me?  In a world that screams you need to be more, you are not enough, you have to have this in order to be worthy, how can it be that The Creator of all things, The Holy One, The Perfect One, is so completely enamoured with me, just me? 

My guess is that it has nothing to do with us, but instead everything to do with The One who sees us.  We can't earn it, create it, deserve it, or buy it.  It just is, and it is love-amazing love.  A song says it so well, "Amazing love, how can it be? That you my King would die for me?"  He sees me.  He loves me.  He is enthralled with me.  His eyes are fixated on my heart and on me. 

Oh that we could receive that fully.  To not shy away as He looks into our depths.  To fully take in, that He sees ME...and that He loves it anyway.  Oh how He loves us.  Not because we are in a beautiful dress with beautiful flowers.  Not because we are special or that we deserve it.   But because He is.

A Holy Invitation to the One Thing

"There is only one thing worth being concerned about.

Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.” 

Luke 10:42 NLT

I find myself often wondering why do Christians have struggles.  Why do we have heartache and deep longings that have gone unmet?  Why do we stress and worry? Why Lord, do you permit these things? And while I still do not have the perfect answer to fit every story I do know this:

Every obstacle in life, every adverse circumstance, every trial, every troubled relationship,

every unmet longing is an opportunity, no rather an invitation
to press beyond the veil until you find yourself at our Savior's feet. 

It is an invitation to commune with Peace as He sits on His throne.  It is an invitation to dine with the Bread of Life.  It is an opportunity to press in beyond the crowds, as the woman with the issue of blood did, to push past the distractions, to reach toward our healer.  If she never would have had the issue, if she had never felt utter desperation, she also would never have experienced Life beyond the circumstances, beyond the veil, and into the Holy of Holies. 

Oh how often we miss this invitation to feast on The One who sustains.  We choose stress, worry, grow tired and weary.  We replay arguments in our minds.  We retreat and self medicate.  We grow angry and bitter.  We parade through life with wounded hearts, yet we wear a fake smile all the while hoping that no one sees the arrows of discontentment, loneliness, sorrow, and defeat that have pierced our heart.  We hope that no one sees the heaviness and stress in our eyes.  We gripe.  We complain.  And all the while our invitation, unopened, waits for us.  It reads ""Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."  Our worry, our complaints, our busyness ring a loud response~ "No thank you, I have too much work and cannot come and sit," "No thank you, I would much rather eat this bitter fruit than to dine on The Bread."  Then we curse the adverse circumstance; we curse the invitation. 

Like Paul, of this I am the chief of sinners, but today, through God's grace I choose to thank instead of curse.  I thank Him for this cross that I carry.  It is a doorway into His sanctuary.  It is an invitation to come to the banquet and dine with The One who loves me unconditionally.  Our crosses are heavy. Our crosses are hard to carry. The nails hurt.  But today my response will be, "Yes, I will come.  Thank you for this invitation to the One Thing."  He beckons me to come, to fall on my knees at His feet, as we sit beyond the veil.