To Know and Be KnownSample

LOOK AT ME DADDY

When my daughters were little, every day we heard them say, “Daddy, look at me!” Whether they were doing cartwheels in the yard, dancing to the radio, or riding their bikes without training wheels, they wanted to be seen, validated, and encouraged by their father. I believe this is an earthly example of our desire to be seen and known by our Heavenly Father. 

In the Old Testament, one of the names used to describe God is El Roi, which means “the God who sees me.”In the New Testament there are many accounts of Jesus proving He is the God who sees, including John 1:43-48:

Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

“Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.

“Come and see,” said Philip.

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.”

I’m very grateful this exchange is included in the Bible. Nathanael wasn’t perfect, in fact, he had just insulted everyone from Nazareth, to include Jesus! Jesus, however, saw past his statement. Instead of condemning him for his bigotry, He chose to encourage him. The result: Nathanael was immediately overcome by the goodness of God. He knew in that moment that Jesus saw him, heard him, and even knew his thoughts! Nathaniel made the great confession of faith and is credited as one of the first to publicly declare, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.”

Like Nathanael, peace is found in knowing that God sees everything—who we are on both our good and bad days—and still calls us to Himself. After hearing the words of Jesus, Nathanael chose to follow Him, earning his right to forever be seen and known by El Roi, the God who sees. 

POINT TO PONDER: 

Like a little child, when you say, “Look at me, Daddy” and desire God’s praise and attention over all others, you will receive it. He never takes His eyes off His children.