Have you walked into a room and you were not seen? All those around you seem to be in groups talking and you are on the outside looking in ... alone? Perhaps you stayed long enough to pick up a snack, get a drink or walk around searching for a familiar face and then left with a deep longing to have been seen. Being in this situation is hard. Hard because no matter how much you wanted to know someone, what you truly desired was to be known.
The second and third chapters of Revelation reveal a God who knows you. To each of the seven churches, he begins by saying, “I know your deeds” or “I see you.” The God of the universe knows us each individually. He sees us just as he saw the seven churches and addressed them each separately. He loved them enough to counsel them in the ways they needed to change. He called them to change the way they were thinking, living and encouraged them to return to what they had lost or to be steadfast, holding on to what they had in Christ. That is true even today. He looks at us with love and compassion and says, “I see you.” I see your struggle. I see the secret sin you want to give up with all your heart and yet, it entangles you. I see your love for others. I see you show up in a situation that is gut-wrenching hard, but you press on. I see the wrong others have done to you and the self-inflicted pain you continue to cause yourself. He cares and is speaking to us … calling us to listen to his counsel. To do the hard work of following His word no matter what the world says. To stand firm in truth and walk in love. Doing so will bring rewards God has for those who overcome.
Our God is a personal God. He sees you, knows you and yet, loves you unconditionally. Yes, you. Oh, to see the self that God sees … and loves.
Take a moment ... Praise God for his great love and grace, Cheer the Saints who have gone before you and those around, Detest the Beast of evil that you are experiencing and that is in the world and Long for the Final Victory and coming of the Lord.
-Dr. Jerry