My sister and I look a lot alike. So much so that when we were younger, and by younger I mean as young as grade school and through about a year ago, people would ask if we were twins. We’re not. In fact, she’s three sweet years younger than I am. Our strong likeness to one another confuses young children most often. We watch them stare, look back as parents drag their young legs forward to the car or down the grocery aisle. We listen to the doubt in their voices when they approach one of us, usually my sister who is a teacher, the mother of a soon to be nine year old social little boy, and a friendly familiar face in her neighborhood, suddenly uncertain if they are actually approaching “Miss Rachel” or if it’s her sister “Miss Ahyana.”
As we celebrated my young nephew’s birthday recently, the confused and curious faces of little children was in abundance, as were laughter and polite smiles as parents corrected their children regarding which sister was who. By the party’s end, most of the children were able to tell the difference and wore their certainty with pride as they left with full tummies, paintings, and goodie bags full of candy and more art supplies from the art themed celebration.
My sister and I paused post clean up to take in the day that was. She sat on a lawn chair, and I stood nearby, when the three-year-old neighbor who has claimed my nephew as his big brother, starts walking towards us with a make shift bouquet of flowers pulled from bushes near by in his hand. I smiled and just knew he was heading towards my sister Rachel, when he stopped at me, looked up, smiled, and gave the flowers to me. My sister laughed, noting he knew the difference between us and that his affections shifted from her to me, as he ran back across the lawn to his momma with pride.
God knows us. He is never confused. He never needs us to remind Him of who we are (honestly we need reminders of who He says we are). He never thinks we are similar enough to another that He need not pay attention to those slight and unique differences that make us us. He has more than enough affection for each of us. Not only does He know us, but He loves us.
That thought that just floated across the sky of your mind, that has you thinking He couldn’t love you because of ___________, not true beloved, not true. That secret, that mistake, He still loves you. He sees you in the light of you, in the light of grace, in the light of love. He doesn’t see you in the light of your family’s shadow of you, your role or title at work, your bank account, your debt, your degrees or lack thereof. He doesn’t see you in the light of the desperate acts to soothe loneliness, the depression, anxiety, the mania. He doesn’t see you through the lens of your past, through shame, through anger, bitterness, abandonment, rejection, failure, or imperfection. He sees you, knows you, calls you His, loves you, and promises to provide all you need to be all He has called and created you to be- you.
My prayer for you this week is that you remember you are known and loved. God knows you, knows you by name, knows the numbers of hairs on your head, the hurt and hopes in your heart and He loves you unconditionally. He sees you and is coming to you, yes you, with his own bouquet of grace, mercy, love, a future, and a purpose, all for you.
With Love,
Grit + Grace