Look at me and know you are loved

I've been trying to figure out what I could DO for God.  

Every time I find something I can do to serve Him I start thinking "maybe this is it, maybe this is how God will use me," then when things don't work out the way I hoped I'd decide that isn't how God wants to use me after all and start looking around for something else I can do.  

Over the last while, I've been having constant battles with the "I'm not good enough" feelings whenever I'm reminded of these kinds of disappointments.  While I know in my head that "I'm not good enough" isn't true, I'm still feeling the emotions triggered by that thought no matter how hard I try to convince myself.

So what I'm in the process of realising, is that with all the energy and effort I'm putting into trying to find something I can be "good enough" at to serve God with, my energy and focus is on myself and what I can or can't do. 

My attention has turned away from Him.

God said to me last week:

     Look at me and know you are loved.

This is love: it is not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son as the sacrifice for our sins.

The night he was betrayed, Jesus said, "No one has greater love than to give up one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends" 

This is how much you are loved: God through Jesus died for you.

     He says: Look at me and know you are loved.

His love is eternal and unchanging.  

My finite mind can grasp only a small portion of the infinity of His love.  

But as I contemplate His love for me, my heart responds with growing Love for Him.  

As I sit still and let his love flow over me, it can begin to flow through me into my love for others.  

This is what Jesus commanded: Love God and love one another.

     He says: Look at me and know you are loved.

There's an old song from last century: “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.”

A more modern song:  “When the music fades, and all is stripped away, and I simply come”... and goes on to: “I'm coming back to the heart of worship, and it's all about you Lord.”

I've been a Christian 25 years so far and I'm still in the process of learning this. It may be that I'll spend the rest of my life still in the process of learning this.

What he says to me, perhaps he's saying to you: Look at me, and know you are loved.

Let that love flow over you, surround you and embrace you.  

Receive that love, and respond with your love to him.