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I'm going to let you in on a secret. Preaching is not an easy thing to do. I don't mean the writing, or the speaking part. I mean the standing up before a faith community and trying to point people to the way called Jesus.

Its especially not easy when you have to look out into a church row full of your family members. They live with me. They encounter me first thing in the morning, before my coffee. They hear me swear when I stub my toe. They know the full story beyond my social media posts. They see so much of what I wish was left unseen.  As difficult as it is to stand up and preach in front on those who know the real you - the raw you - the unfiltered you – what really makes preaching particularly daunting is this: I believe in a God who sees the unseen.

Even if you feel unaware of it, you have the gaze of God.

There is no moment, no thought, no whim, or failing that God is not privy to. God sees the unseen. There is no place that I can hide, no mask I can parade behind, no closet I can hide in that is unknown to Jesus. God sees the unseen.

In fact, the most daunting truth of all is this – God sees my heart. 1 Samuel 16:7 says that “God doesn’t look at things like humans do. Humans see only what is visible to the eyes, but the Lord sees into the heart.” The places and corners that even I struggle to bring into the truth of light – God sees.  God sees the unseen. This is a sobering truth. Still, like all truth, it actually holds the keys to our freedom.

You never need to defend yourself, for there is One who knows the truth.

You don't need to impress your way into the Kingdom of God, the gate has been unlocked.

It is the God who sees the unseen who saw a way where there seemed to be no way.

It was the God who sees the unseen who saw you, His beloved, in need of a saviour.

It is the God who sees the unseen who sees you even now.

You might be laying low. You might be hiding, behind your busy-ness or behind your fears. You may think His gaze is absent – but God sees the unseen – and God sees you in this very moment.

Nothing is missed.

No one overlooked.

You are not unseen.

You are not invisible.

Your situation is not unknown.

Your pain is not overlooked.

Even if you feel unaware of it, you have the gaze of God.

It is a truth that propels one toward a life of beautiful integrity – where your faith bears the fruit of the Spirit. Integrity will come easily to those who live in accordance to the understanding that there is One who always sees you as you are. The Spiritually alive live with the convicting knowledge and the comforting truth that God sees the unseen.

 

This post is an excerpt from a message preached by Pastor Kyla on May 24th.  You can watch the service here.