By Sarah Glasswell – Haverhill & District Youth for Christ
I have a pack of playing cards that have interesting discussion questions on them. I use them in my youth work sometimes. Lately I’ve had them with me whilst spending time with students as a Chaplain.
This question “How do you think God sees you?” has come up a couple of times. One boy said, “I think God finds me annoying.” Recently, a girl I spent some time with was asking me the questions!
So, what would your answer be? Your very first gut reaction?
Mine was this… “I think he rolls his eyes a lot when he sees me getting things wrong, but I know he loves me”. And now I am analysing my answer. Was it a good one? Did I represent God well? That might have been my one chance to say something about God, did I blow it?
It was certainly an honest answer! What the student heard, or what she took from it, is in God’s hands now. Maybe it’s more of a reflection on how I see myself. I am so grateful that God shows me so much more love, grace and mercy than I show myself.
Since becoming a parent, I feel I have a little more understanding of God as Father, or parent. I am far from being a perfect mum, but I know how much love I have for my boy, how I always want the best for him, how I love treating him with some unexpected gift and seeing the joy on his face and gratitude in his heart.
I have many moments of frustration but have taught myself to remember he is only 9 years old and still learning the art of life (aren’t we all!). I would take his sorrows and pains as my own if I ever could and I would die for him.
When he tells me intently that he loves me more that I love him, my heart bursts and chuckles a little. I tell him that one day, when he has children of his own, he will understand why I tell him it isn’t true and really I love him more. That’s what I believe, any way!
So, as I’ve been jotting this down, I find myself with a more rounded answer to that question. God sees me as his beloved child, a precious daughter, who he couldn’t love any more or any less. Someone who is a work in progress but still worthy of gifts (blessings), grace and mercy.
Will I ever love God more than he loves me? Nope, and I’m OK with that.
(Photo by Isaac Quesada on Unsplash)