You Look at Us
by Tanya Person
‘You look at us’. These words were in the prayer prayed by the pastor one recent Sunday. They really struck me. God looks at us. Depending on your background, these words could affect you in different ways. How do you perceive and receive these words? How do you feel to know that God is looking at you? For some, it may strike fear into you, feeling that God is watching for you to make a mistake so He can punish you. For others, it may be that you feel God is looking at you in a loving way, looking out for your every need. For others of us, we may bounce between these two, depending on how we are emotionally at a particular moment. The truth is that God looks at us with love and compassion. He is a perfect father. Yes, He disciplines those He loves, but not in anger, or because He wants to bring us pain, but rather to correct us and get us back on the right path.
We all tend to see God the same way we see our natural fathers. This is a normal part of how God made us. He intended fathers to be a model to us of how God is and how He’s looking out for our good. Our fathers haven’t been perfect. We need to forgive them for the wrong image they’ve modelled to us, and ask God to show us, by the Holy Spirit, just how He looks at us.
Our son recently had his first son. One early picture of them shows our son looking at his baby son in his arms. He has such a sweet expression of love on his face as he gazed down at his son. Of course, in the years ahead, all moments won’t be as picturesque as that moment, but I believe that’s the image God wants us to understand. He’s looking at us with pure love and wants to take care of our every need, just as if we were that helpless baby. But often we’re rebellious like a two-year old, saying “I do it myself!”
I encourage you today. Let God show you His love. Let Him care for you. Let Him hold you in His arms and look at you. Look into His eyes and see how much He loves and cares for you.
Prayer: Lord, thank You that You look at us with love and compassion. Help me to be able to put aside my wrong image of You and see You as You really are. Help me know You more. Forgive me for being independent and wanting to do things my own way rather than let You care for me. I want to know You more. Amen.
Tanya Person Tanya and her husband, Jim, were missionaries to Hungary for over 18 years. They have worked with Ellel since 2005. After serving in various positions with Ellel in Central and Eastern Europe, God led them back to the United States, where they are now serving with the Ellel USA team. They have a passion to see leaders restored, the church discipled and walking in God’s fullness of life and freedom, and for mentoring the existing and developing team. Tanya also enjoys crocheting and knitting in her free time and has written some children’s picture books.
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