“Jesus sees us in our entirety and loves us unconditionally.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – December 14, 2023
When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” John 1:47-49, NIV
We face a loneliness epidemic, with more and more people isolated and alienated from one another. Of course, this was amplified during the COVID pandemic, yet loneliness predated it, and has stayed with us long after the pandemic ended. Though technology has created an interdependent and interconnected world, it has done little to solve this crisis and, in many ways, has only served to add fuel to the fire.
True as this may be, I’ve never met someone who is content with this reality. No one accepts the goodness of loneliness, because every person is made for community and belonging, both to one another and to God.
I think of this profound truth today as I read the words of John 1, in which Jesus sees Nathanael under a fig tree. Though seemingly a passing detail that could be missed or ignored, there is something profound about these words. Jesus sees us. He sees us when we are looking for him, and he sees us when we have forgotten him. He sees us when life is full of relationships and community, and he sees us when we are entirely alone and longing for connection. He sees us at our best, and he sees us at our worst.
It is no small thing to be seen by Jesus. To be seen is to be known. It means our story is held in the arms of the Lord. He takes every part of who we are into himself, even those parts we so desperately seek to hide and keep to ourselves. As an old English prayer acknowledges, “To him all hearts are open, all desires known, and from him no secrets are hidden.”
Jesus sees us in our entirety and loves us unconditionally. And it is this unconditional love that draws us out of isolation and into the warmth of community, the goodness of being fully known and loved. This is a love that can cure the sickness of isolation, leading us ever deeper into the perfect love of the Father, Son, and Spirit.
Prayer
Father, we are seen, known, and loved by you. May we never lose sight of this profound truth, we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Application
Take time to meditate today upon the mystery and wonder of being seen by Jesus Christ.
Related Reading
Psalm 139; Jeremiah 31:3; 1 John 3:1
Worship Resource
Trinity Music: Yahweh
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