Apple of His Eye

I would like to begin by sharing a little bit of my story.  I grew up in a small farm town. I have a twin sister and we were raised in a home with parents that loved and supported us.  I was on the varsity volleyball team, found a fun job, and had a lot of friends.  I later went on to college and was headed toward a great career.
From the outside I had the perfect life; but on the inside I was lost.  I felt like something was missing and I didn't like who I had become.  By the grace of God, I transferred to a Christian college in Indiana.  It was there that I found Jesus.  It was there that I found my worth.  I began to see myself through God's eyes for the first time.

Have you ever thought about how God sees you?

Do you struggle to understand your identity in Christ?
I have been in those shoes. But God, full of love and compassion, makes it very clear how He looks at us.

Ephesians 1:4 says, "Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus. This is what he wanted to do and it gave him great pleasure."
What Paul is saying in this verse is that long before your birth, before the flood, before the fall, before the creation of the earth, God knew you. He sees past your weaknesses and instead sees you as holy!  Can you even fathom that?!  His love surpasses our understanding, yet to demonstrate His amazing love, He sent His Son to redeem us and justify us on the cross. 
Paul also says that we are adopted into His family.  That word creates such a stunning picture in my mind.  We were once orphans, lost and alone, wandering through the dark, dead-end streets of our lives.  But then, we were hand-chosen to be sons and daughters of The King!

For further confirmation of your identity, check out Genesis 1:27.  "So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them."
Did you catch that?  Here it is again: God created you in his image.  He gave you eyes to see, ears to hear, hands to perform miracles, and feet to take you to the ends of the earth. 
And think of the complexity of your body. Your heart beats over 103,000 times each day.  Meanwhile, your lungs are inhaling over 388 cubic feet of air daily to oxygenate your blood and feed your trillions of cells to keep your body functioning.
You are a reflection of God and His mighty power.

I love Ephesians 2:10, "For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do all the good things he planned for us long ago."
Isn't this a beautiful encouragement?  God created all things, heaven and earth, the sun, moon and stars, creatures small and great.  Yet when He made us he called us His Masterpiece. Not only that, as if that isn't amazing enough, He also has a plan for our lives!  We don't have to worry about tomorrow, or the next day, because He cares for His children. We need only to be obedient. He loves us enough to give us hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)

These are just a few scriptures to remind you of who you are.  You are created in the image of God.  Adopted as sons and daughters of the Creator of the universe.  You have been redeemed through the blood of Jesus Christ on the cross. God loves you and cares for you.  You are holy and blameless and created for a purpose.  In other words, you are the apple of His eye.
I don't know about you but seeing that is pretty overwhelming!

I'll leave you with this:
"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that very well." Psalm 139:14

Jump...

Recently, I have been inundated with people who do not know Christ. 
Granted, this is not new to me; I did not grow up in a Christian home nor know Jesus until college.
Nonetheless, a sea of lost-ness is bringing havoc to my heart.  It is a burden that I cannot escape. I pray that their eyes be opened to receive salvation, yet I find myself asking, "How can they NOT see Jesus in EVERYTHING they do?"  After all, He is everywhere at all times.
Then God, with His unending mercy and grace, sweeps over me and I am reminded of where I have come from. 

I was once that lost girl, afraid to go to church, scared of what would be revealed. There were plenty of bad decisions in my wake and I was ashamed. I could not understand how anyone, especially God, would forgive my blatant sins. Furthermore, I had no right to approach God and ask for such a thing...or so I thought.  Despite my flawed theology,  Jesus did not give up on me.  He pursued me relentlessly.  He waited patiently through my skepticism and doubt. Then, he swooped in to rescue me just when I needed Him the most.

Millions of people around the world are missing out on a life with Christ.  Either they are running from Him, or they sadly have not heard of His greatness.  Either way, it is a crisis. 
We all need salvation. 
We all need Jesus. 

In my short life as a Christian I have seen the faithfulness of my God.  He gives direction when the road is unclear. His presence brings peace in a scary, unpredictable situation.  He sends grace when the world overwhelms me and comfort when I am broken.  He shelters me through the storm and makes all things new.  He is truth in a fallen world.

I have had a glimpse of who God is and the faithfulness of his character. I often imagine the day when my family and friends and people all around the globe finally experience this too.  He is waiting with arms open wide to adopt them into the family of Christ. 

What is our role in seeing this become a reality?
Before Jesus ascended into heaven, he gave us a command, "Go make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." (Matt. 28:19)
Jesus said that our job is to tell people about himself.  Share his love and expand the Kingdom of God. (John 13:34-35)

God will call each of us into the ministry designed specifically for us.  It may mean selling everything and moving to Uganda.  It may mean leading an in-home small group. Whatever it is, we are to follow his lead to bring people to Him.  If you feel God leading you to something outside your comfort zone, don't hesitate or back down.  After all, God knows what is best for you and He wants to use you for his glory.  God wants to call you to greater dependence on Him.  It is there that you see His strength and power and glory. 

I can think of no good reason for not saying 'yes' to God's call. 
On the contrary, I can think of hundreds of reasons to jump on board. You will see God work in ways you could have never imagined.  You will experience a new level of adoration for Christ.  Lost souls that you encounter will be brought to life.  Your soul will be refreshed and renewed.  The list can go on and on.  Point is, God wants to use you.  Lost and hurting souls are seeking restoration and completeness and you hold the answer.  Won't you jump when He calls? 

Had God not saved me when He did, I tremble to imagine where I would be now. 
Without a doubt, I would be missing out on this amazing journey He has set out for me. 

My continuous prayer is for those people in my life, and those I have yet to meet, that their eyes would be opened to the fullness of life offered through Jesus.  I pray that barriers be removed to see how great is our God and that the church not be afraid to follow when called.