Thursday, April 4, 2013

In My Father's Eyes -- What God Sees in Me


Heavenly Father’s Eyes and Me
by Jeffrey Denning

I cannot go this life alone
I need strength beyond my own.
Troubles near and troubles far
It does not matter who you are.

Everyone in time of need
Finds themselves on bended knee,
Looking up as if to say,
“Please help me live another day.”

When life ends it's mortal journey
And our body's limp and lonely,
Buried deep within the Earth
We'll discover our real worth.

In our Heavenly Father's eyes
We will see Him when He cries
For the wickedness of men
And of war, of rage, and sin.

And so it goes when in life lows
Through dark valleys we must go
Only if my eyes could see
What Heavenly Father sees in me.

He would see an imperfect man,
But He would let me know I can
Return and live with Him someday
With my family here today.

He would help me now to see
That I like Him can someday be
By relying on His Only Son
The Infinite and Eternal One.

I can have a healthy heart;
I can make a brand new start.
He can heal and comfort me
If through His eyes I view me.

Copyright - 2013 Jeffrey Denning 

I wrote this poem after having a really tough day. I was reminded of those times of desperation and prayer that I spoke of in the poem when just the day before I heard a colleague -- a former Vietnam era Marine -- point out to a younger war veteran of Iraq that he certainly pleaded for heavenly help and cannot deny it when that first bullet whizzed past his head in battle. The younger veteran admitted, almost sheepishly, that he had prayed. In times of in desperation there can be a tendency to pray, even if we normally don’t. I’ve certainly had those prayers of panic and pleading.

Feeling that I was about to fall to my certain and painful death, I have prayed. I have begged and pleaded with the Creator of the Universe more than once. I said I would do anything for Him, but “please, please help me live.” I got into a foolish situation. I feared greatly. I've tried to keep up my side of the bargain.

The interesting thing is that there are other times -- times in our lives when there are mean people or hardships -- when we wonder if the challenges we face will ever leave. We wonder if our situation will ever change. The poem embraces those times best. 

God is our loving Heavenly Father. I believe He sees all things and knows all things. He knows what is best for us and He is anxious to bless and help us. He sees in us what we cannot see in ourselves. He recognizes our potential. He feels sorrow when we do wrong and so do we. Fortunately, we can repent when we do wrong and be better tomorrow, and today. We are all sinners to one degree or another, but we can strive to be better.  

When we feel sorrow and suffering (not necessarily because of our sins, but because of our circumstances and imperfections or the imperfections of others), I believe there is a special kind of unconditional love only a parent can give us, in this case a Heavenly Parent, One who sees in us what we cannot see in ourselves. 

Our Heavenly Father has a plan for us; He wants to see us succeed. He sees what is around the corner for us. Great things are in store for us. He will help us. He will guide us. He will comfort us, but only if we let Him. God loves us. Let us love Him. 

“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”

--1 Corinthians 2:9