Dear Glen Mar,

As I was driving home from church today, the song “Friend of God” by Israel Houghton came on and I rocked out. I know that if people turned to look at me at red lights, they must have thought I was mad. As I was rocking out to the song, I sang the lyrics. “Who am I that You are mindful of me? That You hear me when I call. Is it true that You are thinking of me? How you love me (it’s amazing, Jesus) It’s amazing (I am a friend of God).

To be a friend of is to be known, listened to, thought of; it is to be seen. It is simply to be noticed by another. A friend does not simply see their friends with their eyes but with their hearts; it is love. God’s unconditional and unending love sees us from God’s own heart.  God seeing us with God’s own heart is to be seen wholly.

If you’ve ever seen the movie Avatar, the Avatar people of Pandora have a saying, “I see you.” This saying is about seeing another fully and completely.  It is seeing all that a person is, was, will be in the most positive way; it is seeing people as beloved and special. It is the desire to see people’s Imago Dei; people being God’s image bearers. So, in seeing each other we see God. This is how the Holy Spirit transforms us; to love as God loves and to who God loves; to love perfectly and completely. When our love is perfected, we see God and can trust just how much God sees us.

Seeing another is choosing to become aware of another and their need. God incarnate, Jesus, stopped and was aware of people’s need. Not only did he take notice of their need but stopped to address their needs. This is the gospel. God sees us wholly and addresses our needs holistically. We are invited to see and notice. When we see through eyes of love, we cannot ignore. Christ’s abundant love poured into us pours into others abundantly.

As I think about this past month of the “I See You” sermon series, I have been so humbled to think of how God loves us so much that God chooses to be in relationship with us. God sees us fully, our needs, and calls us beloved children. I am finding myself wanting to add to the lyrics to “Friend of God” to say, “Who am I that You are mindful of Me… How you see me? How you love me – it’s Amazing!  It makes we want to shout in thanksgiving and adoration.

Blessings,
Pastor Melaina Trice