Overcoming ShameSample

How God Sees You

Psalm 17:8 expresses God’s love and affection toward you. It says, “Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings.” At face value, that may not seem to carry much weight. But the Hebrew word for “apple” means “little man.” When you stand close enough to someone, you see a tiny reflection of yourself in their pupils. You see yourself as the “apple” of their eyes. This is who you are to God. You are the little person reflected in His eyes. You are always in His vision. You are always the object of God’s affection and obsession.

He cares deeply for you. He loved you, even before you knew Him and were riddled with sin. He sent His Son for your sake. Jesus didn’t go to the cross to be tortured, die, and defeat death for the sake of people God deemed worthless. He went to the cross to redeem and restore those He deeply loved and valued. One of the most well-known verses in Scripture, John 3:16, says it plainly: “For God so loved the world, that He sent His only Son…”

God doesn’t merely tolerate or love you as a result of Christ’s work on the cross. Rather, His love was the fuel for Christ’s work.

When Jesus prayed to God the Father, He said, “You sent me and…you love them as much as you love me” (John 17:23b). Let this truth sink into your soul: God the Father’s love for you, as His child, is as great as His love for Jesus.

Not only does God the Father love you like He loves Jesus, His love endures forever (Psalm 136:26). Nothing can separate you from His love (Romans 8:38–39). Whether or not you have chosen to follow Christ, God has radical love for you and deems you to be of great value.

God, I don’t understand why You have such great love and compassion toward me. Help me to learn more about Your love and to experience its healing power.