He looks at me and He loves me!

Today in church, we began our new series, based on the book of Colossians.  The series is called Hidden in Christ.  Today it was Hidden in Christ: Victorious.   It was good to sit in the pew this morning, and to be part of the family of God that gathers Sunday mornings at Eastview.  I love it there, and continue to thank God for our church.  Today, Dave spoke on Colossians 1, but he began with the story from Mark 10.  The one where the young ruler comes to Jesus and asks him what he should do?  You likely remember the story?  He has tried to do what he knows is right.  Pastor Dave encouraged us this morning, NOT to get distracted by the money aspect to the conversation between Jesus and the young ruler.  But instead to FEEL the young man's longing, to feel his desire to want something more!!  Jesus of course wants the best thing for the young man, the same as he wants for me (and you!)
Jesus wants him (and you and I) to FOLLOW HIM!!

The one thing however that first hit me, was the verse that says, (Mark 10:21) that Jesus looked at him and loved him.  Very simple right?  Looked.  Loved.  There is something about that verse - that just warms me, and I can imagine Jesus look on his face.  I can imagine the look of love he has.  I can imagine the look of caring, of warmth, of genuine love.  He looked at him, and loved him.

And, I can't help but think of how Jesus looks at me.  And how he loves me.  So simple.  Look.  Love.
There are times that I think maybe it is harder to love me!! (especially those times when I struggle with loving myself perhaps).  And yet, how completely loved I am.  By the lover of my soul.  The one who loved me when He died on the cross for my sin, and loves me now too!!  Jesus looks at me, and he loves me.

I sort of "get" that ... when I think of how I look at my husband, and love him.  I remember the first day we met, and I just somehow knew in my being that he was the one I would marry!  But maybe even a better example of really looking at and loving someone, would be the way I fell head over heels in love with my grandkids .... even before I really "knew" them - I loved them.  And how I love them even more with each passing day.  Sometimes I catch myself just looking at them - and heart overflows with love.  I look at them and love them.  (even if sometimes they are acting out, or melting down, or not wanting to be especially lovable at the moment)  Hey - why should these little ones be any different than us big people!!  AND  YET I still look on them, and love them.... heart overflowing, with such great incredible love - not because they have done, or are doing, or will do anything to earn my love - but because of my relationship with them.

Jesus looked on him, and loved him.
Jesus looks on me and loves me.
Jesus, lover of my soul.  Redeemer.  Saviour.

The rich man in the story from Mark - was trying to do everything he could - to do enough - but it was all about just following God - not a bunch of "do this" or "do that" or "rules and regs" but instead just knowing who you are in the eyes of God - how greatly loved you are - and in that knowledge and understanding - growing more an more to become like Jesus - living our live so that it reflects HIS LOVE and bears fruit.    It is all about experiencing the love of God - the deep deep deep abiding love, and in that love, living in the fullness of it!!    O Jesus - lover of my soul - life giver - you are LOVE!  Help me to follow you wholeheartedly and live a life that reflects YOU Jesus, and your love.

I love to think of how Jesus looks on me.  How he sees me, covered by his grace.
I am so glad that he looks at me, and loves me.

Years and years ago (late 90's) I was asking God to help me fall more in love with Him.  I really wanted to experience him as the lover of my soul.  I wanted to walk in a deep relationship with him.
One night I had a dream.  It went like this:  I dreamed that I was in a house, and a man came in.  He came up to me, and put his arms around me and walked with me.  He knew who I was and yet I was quite taken aback at how this man wanted to be in an intimate close relationship with me, and yet he didn't know me.  But then he told me, that he did know me.  He knew all about me, and he loved me with a great love.  I remember feeling his love, but still being so shocked at how he could love me so quickly, but he said he KNEW me (and it was in a deep sense of the word).  I remember waking up from this dream with this strange feeling - a combination of feeling a little weird because I had dreamt of another man other than my husband.  (In my dream, I did not see a face, but I knew it was NOT Alvin, and I also knew this man in  my dream was someone I was greatly attracted to).  It made me feel strange because the dream felt "right" even though it was about a man other than my husband.  However then I realized that the dream wasn't about another "man" per se, but it was (I believed) about my relationship with the lover of my soul - Jesus Christ.  I had been asking him to help me fall more and more in love with him, and in the dream - that was exactly what it was about.  Jesus loved me - and knew me more than I realized.  And he wanted to be in a close intimate relationship with me.
Dreams are a funny thing ... but this dream continues to warm my soul as I recall it.

So as Jesus looked at this young ruler and loved him ... I know that he looks at me, and loves me.
Over and above any love I can experience in the human way ...
Greater than any love I can imagine in my imagination.
Jesus looks at me and loves me!!
And wants me to FOLLOW HIM!!

I want to share this song with you - it has become one of my favourites (longer story) since I was down in Colorado at NextStep.  This song had a profound impact on me and my "aha" time of coming to realize how beautiful and loved I was in the eyes of my God!!  Anyhow, I want to share it with you - as I believe it is all about how much Jesus loves me, and you!!  It is called I'm Held by your Love and it is by Bob Fitts and Karen Lim.