He said it was the pink linen suit.

The thing that drew him to me.

A hand me down from my cousin. A 3-piece linen pantsuit with shoulder pads made for a linebacker. Yup…that’s what got his attention.

His neon orange vest, Bo Jackson Nikes, fresh temple taper haircut and smooth DC swag. Yup…that’s what got my attention.

March 1993. Best Friends. He saw me, I saw him and this year we celebrate 15 years of wedded bliss.

Just as my sweet husband saw me all those years ago, God sees us right now.

Oh the reassurance of this truth.

He is indeed el-Roi, the God Who Sees.

She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.”

Genesis 16:13

Have you ever felt invisible? Have you ever felt as if people haven’t SEEN you? As a child, I was intimately acquainted with feeling invisible. My mother was present but ‘unavailable’. I needed her but there were times she didn’t see me. And it is only after embarking on a personal healing journey in 2014 that I have fully dealt with those feelings.

Even today I need the reassurance that HE sees me. I have an affectionate, doting, caring husband. I have friends who love, encourage and support me. Even my earthly father still showers me with words of affirmation. But THE ONE WHO SEES, is the one whom I need to be seen by. When I am bony weary from carry out all that he’s task to my hands. When I’ve poured out my last drop in service to him, I am comforted in knowing he sees me. Just as he saw Hagar, sitting in desperation in the desert, he sees me. And because he sees me, he’s acquainted with my concerns, joy, pain, strengths, weaknesses and vulnerabilities. He sees and he cares. And because he cares, he wants me to cast my cares on him so he can help me. He is truly a very present help in the time of trouble.

Not only does he see me, but he chose me.

Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. Ephesians 1:4

Who did he choose? Me. And He chose you too. From the time you were created, you were engrafted with a desire to be in relationship with a faithful, loving, serving partner. From the time you were created, the desire was placed in you to hunger after a love relationship, a relationship with the Lord. But there have been times that I misappropriate that need for love. I sought that love from people and things yet it was never satiated. How about you?

There is a love space in our hearts that’s custom made and ONLY Jesus fits the exact proportions.

Only He can fill that space in our hearts.

So even after we have been unfaithful, he still seeks a relationship with us. He still unwaveringly, tenaciously pursues us. He pursues and reminds us to draw near to him and he will draw even closer to us. He reminds us to seek him first and all other things will be added onto us. He reminds us that he is our friend. He reminds us that he loves us with an everlasting love. After all we do, or don’t do for that matter, he still chooses us.

He sees us. He chooses us. Not an accident, happenstance or mistake but intentionally out of his unfailing love for us, he chooses us.

How will your heart respond today?

When that handsome young man saw me and chose me all those years ago, at first I dismissed it. I though it was yet another person with some ulterior motive. But that young man had vision. He says he KNEW I would be his wife. I’ve never really been the visionary type. I’m more of the realistic, right now in the present, focused on all the little details type that doesn’t cast a vision or see the ‘big picture’. Well, he saw it and it has come to pass.

Jesus sees the BIG PICTURE of your life. He’s the only one who knows all the finite details. He’s THE ONE WHO SEES your beginning from your end.

He’s gazing at you from across the distance.

He’s approaching…

Join me in prayer….Thank you Lord for being an ever loving, patient and kind God. Thank you for seeing me and choosing me. Just as you saw Hagar in the desert, you see me. And before the foundation of the world you chose me. You love me with an everlasting love. Give me eyes to see and the mind of Christ that I may choose well. Open the eyes of my heart that I may see you. Above people and things let me choose you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

All week we’ll be talking about Embracing Everlasting Love. I pray you join me as we embrace a love so pure, a love that expects nothing in return, a love that is complete, a love that can only be found in Jesus.

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!