God looks at the heart...

1 Samuel 16:7
New King James Version (NKJV)
7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees;[a] for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

The Lord taught me another lesson over the last 24 hours. My sister sent me the school pictures of my two beautiful nieces, they arrived in the mail yesterday. This morning I texted her to thank her for the beautiful pictures and to sincerely let her know how her girls have developed into such beautiful young ladies. She texted me back and said that Meg, my older niece, half-jokingly, wanted to know if I could see her "zit". I texted back jokingly that I would go and get my magnifying glass out to see if I could find it. I honestly never noticed her pimple, but what I did notice is how times haven't changed. It brought me back to my younger years...

Last night, Kenny and I went with a few others to visit a sister in the Lord, who has been hospitalized for weeks now with what the doctors believe to be cancer. She is currently waiting on biopsy results. This sister has been a fixture in the sanctuary of our church for more years than I can remember. As she spoke from her hospital bed last night, I felt God telling me to listen closely. I was there for a reason and a specific purpose. Although I thought I was going there to help comfort her, along with the others, this morning I realized why I was there last night. As we listened to her speak, she spoke of a harsh life, one that has been plagued with illness which has ravished her body in a multitude of ways over the years. She spoke of homelessness in a way I never expected to hear, and most of all, she blew me away as she spoke of her great faith in God. She could see Him moving in her situation which appeared to be so bleak to us, the visitors in the room. She had already experienced a miraculous healing from God in the past and there seemed to be no fear in her eyes or her voice. She knew that God could heal her again and she also knew that He may choose not to heal her this time. She explained to us how she has "surrendered her body to the Lord". She also spoke of a man who has befriended her recently and she expressed concern for His "spiritual well-being" because he is an atheist. This man has helped her care for her vehicle and in turn I could see how she has cared for his eternal destiny. I know that God is using this woman in more ways than any of us can see or understand.

As I was writing in my journal this morning, I realized that yet another nasty onion skin was being peeled back from my life. The sin of judging others based on their appearance and being equally as harsh on myself over the years. My self degradation is so ugly and sinful. Over the years, God has shown me who I am in Him, but this process won't be complete until I go home to be with Him.

The years I spent as a young woman, gazing in the mirror and agonizing over bad acne, bad hair, bitten fingernails....I couldn't see any value in myself at all. If I were to be completely honest, there are times I feel the same way now when I look in the mirror, especially when I'm feeling my worst physically. The lesson I have once again revisited, is that the outward appearance isn't even a clue as to what God sees in us. I'm so grateful that what He sees is the perfection and righteousness of Christ in me, the hope of glory. I have been made into a new creation and no matter what looks back at me in the mirror, God sees Jesus in me. I can rest in the finished work of my Savior. It's not about me, it's about Him and Him alone...

Colossians 1:27
New King James Version (NKJV)
27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which[a] is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

2 Corinthians 5:17
New King James Version (NKJV)
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.