In March of 2020 my family gave me a tablet for my birthday. It was preloaded with a number of apps. One of the apps was called Zoom. I inquired of my kids as to what that was for to which the response was, “Oh dad don’t worry about that, you’ll never use it.” But, as you all know the world changed significantly shortly after that and Zoom became real practical in many ways. After I used it several times I discovered that if my background was unsuitable I could select from a number of beautiful scenes and presto I suddenly appeared to be on the beach or near the Golden Gate Bridge or on the edge of a rainforest. How awesome to just drop into that picture. I’m in no way trying to promote vain imaginations but I think sometimes it may be helpful or useful to see ourselves in another picture.
The way that we see ourselves and the way that God sees us are entirely different. Religion has sometimes programmed us to see God as a harsh judge who is just waiting to punish our wrongdoing. Or perhaps we’ve come to believe that it is entirely impossible to please God. I have met people who think that they have done such horrible things that they’re beyond God’s reach. Some think God purposely messed up their lives. Then there are those who believe they can hide from God, or that God is just apathetic towards them. The other extreme of folks want to believe that regardless of their choices or decisions that God is obligated to fix their problems and provide an eternal paradise for them. These are merely a short list of man’s views and we have mistakenly seen ourself in the wrong picture. More accurately we are mistaken about who the true God is.
As we consider the whole counsel of God as declared in the Bible we can begin to see a much better picture. God, the Father, loves us so much that He sent His Son to earth to live with us. The Son, Jesus, lived in this messy place called earth from birth until death to experience all known trials, temptations, stress, aggressions, discomfort, and any other wicked thing experienced by man. To be fair He also enjoyed friendship, love, joy, beauty, and all of the wonderful things that we appreciate. The point being He understands what we face, He’s experienced it in human form. He became Emmanuel, God with us. We are the jewel of His creation and He is for us not against us.
Jesus says, “I have come that you may have life and that you may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10
The apostle Paul writes, “If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation, old things have passed away, behold all things have become new.” II Corinthians 5:17
In the book of Romans chapter 8 there are many affirming phrases; “There is no condemnation to those who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit; if God is for me who can stand against me; who can separate me from the love of Christ; I am more than a conqueror through Him who loves me; neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
May you be inspired by the Spirit of God to see yourself as Jesus sees you, put yourself into that picture in the year ahead. Blessings, peace, and joy to you!
The writer is the pastor of Christ the King Church near Jackson Center.
