Can't You See?

I had the strangest dream the other night.  I would not normally share such a dream with the whole world,  but when I woke from the dream at 4 a.m. God spoke to me clearly and told me to write about it.

In the dream I was walking around in my birthday suit.  Yep.  Not a stitch on and people were staring at me.  Of course they were.  Judas!  I did not feel any embarrassment, which is strange in and of itself, but then I began talking to a couple who was appalled at my lack of attire.  They just kept staring with their mouths wide open.  My response to them was,  "I know I am fat, saggy, and have wrinkles and gray hair, but my husband thinks I am beautiful.  Crazy, huh."

I woke up and immediately God whispered to me that Joel does see me through eyes of love and finds me beautiful!  He then said, "I look through eyes of love and see my children as beautiful. No matter your shape or size, no matter your quirks or flaws, no matter your imperfections, I see my children through My Son, through eyes of love."

After I had the cataract surgery I was able to see all my wrinkles, flawed skin, and gray hair a lot easier.  It was not pretty.  In all my loving kindness (?) I told Joel he looked older, grayer, more pale too.  He laughed and said, "I'm so glad you had your eyes done!"  giggle....

I was shaped like an hourglass when Joel and I married, but over the years I became as round as a gala apple.  There were a couple of times I went down in size, but in time my apple shape returned.  My sweet husband thought I was "so beautiful" when we met, and he still does.  I have plenty of quirks and flaws inside too, yet he views me through love, as I do him.  More importantly, God looks at our misshapen hearts and souls, our brokenness, our flaws, and He sees us as His children, forgiven and loved.  By grace He embraces us and holds us close, saying "You are so beautiful!"

A couple of weeks ago at church I heard a word to share with those were gathered.  I had been meditating along with everyone else, and saw God take His hands, place them on both sides of a certain woman's face, and with great love in His eyes, He sang, "You are so beautiful to me.......can't you see?" The love He had in His eyes covered this person with a radiant light.  She was soaking in His love and was all aglow.

So often God is presented as a God of wrath, or as a strict parent who deals with our sin with punishment and anger. I expect there are times God is angry, but I believe the consequences of our own choices bring us punishment, not God......He delights in us.  After all, He sent His only Son to die for us.  He loves us and calls us His beloved.  We may see ourselves as unfit, and even feel ashamed, guilt ridden, or rejected by who we see in the mirror, but God tells us we are His righteous children.  We are sons and daughters of the King.  He gives us beauty for ashes.  We are made whole, forgiven, and so beautiful in His eyes.  He may even sing over us...."You are so beautiful to me.....can't you see?!"