How does Jesus look at us and not cringe at times?

I believe it’s because He sees us in two different dimensions. He sees us as we are now (though without frustration toward our sin because He has already dealt with it), and He sees who we will become.

As Graham Cooke states it, God does not look at us and see Present-Past. He sees us as Present-Future. Why? Because He has dealt with our past and He’s not interested in who we were, but in who we are becoming.

How exciting for us! How amazing that we don’t have to dwell on our failures, but look with anticipation to what He is doing in us.

We tend to be a people who dwell on past mistakes. I’ve heard leaders say, “Think about the worst thing you’ve ever done. God is bigger than that.”

But if God isn’t thinking about the worst thing we’ve ever done, why are we dredging it up? Wouldn’t it be so much more fruitful to dwell on the possibilities God has for us and for the lives of the people we love?

To live in fullness and hope, we have to see ourselves and our situations as God does.

Take Jesus and the woman at the well. He told her that she had had five husbands and the man she was currently living with wasn’t her husband. Did Jesus do that to point out and convict her of sin (John 4:4-32)?

I don’t think so. I think He was demonstrating a word of knowledge (I Cor. 12:8) to get her attention so He could share the radically good news.

It changed her life. That’s what God is into doing. Changing lives and bringing lost and hurting sheep back into His arms.

If He didn’t condemn a woman who was deep in sin and had made a mess of her life, why do we think He is disappointed with us?

In His immense love and wisdom, He dealt with our sin so He can help us with our stuff.

He’s not bothered by our junk as much as we are.

A bride is both cherished and treasured. We are His bride. And Jesus deserves a purified and beaming bride. So what is God’s focus? Cleaning us up. Helping us remove the gunk that slimes us. He wants a bride who longs for Him and all that He has for us.

But do we want to be cleaned up? Or are we a little afraid of what that might mean for our lives?

Will that result in changes we don’t like?

A good dad gives good and perfect gifts to His kids. I’ve never seen God remove something without replacing it with an incredibly better something that brings life and fullness.

Since He designed us, and He is good beyond comprehension, don’t you think perhaps He has a plan for our lives and our freedom that will completely stoke us? Make us all kinds of excited?

Make us a glowing, joyful light on a hill that will stir those lost and hungry ones to climb up and see what He is all about?

He has never disappointed me. The only disappointment I’ve faced is when, in my lack of understanding, I’ve tried to bend His will to my desired outcome.

Through that, I’ve learned to embrace the truth that His ways are not like man’s. His ways are higher
(Isaiah 55:8-9). Greater. Beyond comprehension. He is all that is good.

Prayer

Jesus, thank you for everything You’ve done for me. Help me to see myself through Your eyes. I want to have the same excitement for myself and my life that You do. I want to walk more closely with You every day. In Jesus name, amen.

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