Seen
In the classic movie, “Casablanca” Bogart says to the beautiful Iisa “Here’s looking at you kid”. These must be some of the most well remembered of all the most meaningless words ever spoken. But it does matter if some people are looking at us or not. If you have ever been to an optometrist you know the feeling of having another peer through an instrument into your eyes. We don’t see their eyes and even their face is sometimes obscured by the instruments of purpose. But our confidence is not in the fact we can see their eyes but in the fact that we know they can see deeply into ours.
Seeking God’s face is not meant to be the new “works”. Rather it is our greatest delight and privilege but it is still by faith and sometimes we don’t see His face that clearly. Our faith is not established by how well we think we see His face or seek His face but our confidence is established by the fact that He sees us. Our God is the God who sees.
Hagar running away from home in the desert finally put her boy under a bush and walked away. She didn’t want to see or hear her little boy as he died. God saw and heard them both. Hagar called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, “You-Are- the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, “Have I also here seen Him who sees me?” (Genesis 16:13). He saw Israel’s trouble and came down to deliver them. “And the LORD said: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt…”( Exodus3:7). He sees his followers before they are following. “And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen”( Mark 1:16) He saw us in our need then and in our need now. “Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them so he came to them” (Mark 6:48). None of these people were good at seeing or even looking but He is awesome at seeing and revealing Himself and He did. When we do get to “see Him” it is because He saw us first.
Plainly it is more important that God sees us than us seeing Him. Yes, looking is vital for he says “Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other” (Isaiah 45:22). But ultimately our salvation is not based upon our ability to see or to look but is based on the fact that he already looked upon us and decided to be our Saviour. If we are saved by looking upon Him how much more when He looks upon us.
One woman caught in adultery was brought to Jesus. After Jesus silenced her accusers Jesus asked the woman who was left to accuse her. “She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more”(John 8:11). A woman prepared to commit adultery in that society knowing the consequence was public stoning or at least lifelong public shame was a woman desperate for value, not sex. He said to her to go and sin no more, and because she had met Jesus she found she was able to live differently. With one look, Jesus the King drove away evil with His eyes. (Proverbs 20:8) Just one look from her creator told her she was born for better things. She now knew she could live equal to her value because when you know the King has seen you-you can see yourself differently!
Friend, it means a lot to know that He is looking at you kid. It changes everything.