God I see you.
God I see you in my Monday morning, I see you in the rain as I drink my coffee. I see you in the traffic as I listen to Bethel. I see you at the Elementary school with mothers walking their kids into school with an umbrella in one hand and their child’s lunch box in the other.
I see you in first grade. I see you in the teacher. I see you in her compassionate and patient heart. I see you in her love for each individual student. I see you in the children with backpacks that hang down to their knees in the back. I see you in their desire to learn and perform. I see you in the relationships between young friends on the playground. How they explore, imagine and trust one another. I see you in how they are in the process of self discovery. I see you in how the little ones just want to be celebrated for their uniqueness and I think about how nothing really changes as we grow older. I wonder what stops us now from celebrating each other for our unique talents and attributes. Why is it when we share our dreams and desires with one another, so often doubt or “practicality” seems to be the first response? Or at least why has that been my experience?
I see you in the boy diagnosed with Austism, Isaac, I am assigned to aide. I see you in his desire to experience. I see you in his tactile curiosity as he touches anything with an unusual texture. I see you in how Isaac laughs at the minion movie playing in the MPR for rainy day. I see how he turns and smiles at me repeating a funny line or moment to share it with me. I see you in how he wants to share experiences with me. I see you in how Isaac looks so intently at his surroundings taking in all stimuli possible. I see you in how incredibly smart he is. I see you in his energy, how he can hardly keep his body still. How he expresses his emotions through jumping, waving, smiling, swaying or head banging. I see how perfectly you have created him, and my only job is to celebrate who he is and create space for him to be successful just as he is and nothing less.
God I see you everywhere.
The biggest place I have grown to see you is in my heart. I used to look at my heart and see brokenness, weakness, fear, things to change, things to rid myself of. Now though God, I feel so much rest in the fact that I see you in my heart. I see you in how you have created me to empathize with others. I used to call my emotion weakness or brokenness. But I see your pain for the hurting in me, I see your compassion. I am learning more and more about how my heart is a reflection of yours, tainted with sin, but redeemed by your Son.
Just like a canvas represents the artist. Your creation reflects who YOU are God. The children, the mountains, my heart are all your created. How can I learn more about you through your creation?
Open my eyes, Lord.
Keep my eyes on you. I am prone to fear. Remind me to keep my eyes open on the days it is hard to see you.
