Week 2 | Connection: In the Gaze of God, Matthew 3

We first see Jesus interact with the gaze of the Father at His baptism (Matthew 3:16-17).

And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

As the Father looked at Jesus, what expression do you imagine was on the Father’s face? This may seem like an odd question, but it is vitally important. The look on someone’s face can reinforce their words as true or betray them as false. Because of the nature of the One spoke those words over Jesus, it would suggest a smile. God the Father was expressing the love and connection He experienced with the Son.

As you consider God’s gaze upon you, do you see a smile? Do you feel the warmth and grace of the words spoken? 

In the original Greek text, the words flow like this: This is my son, the beloved, in whom I delight. Three things are being said. All of them are important. All of them point to the connection between the God the Father and God the Son. Each word points to an aspect of the core human need to be securely attached. Attachment Theory uses the concepts of being safe, seen, and secure to explain what it means to be connected and loved. We experience this with someone who is consistently present in our lives (promotes the feeling of safety), caring and nurturing (promotes the sense of being seen), and actively responsive to us (promotes an awareness of security).  

In Christ, we are the recipients of God’s gaze as well. He looks upon us with a smile on His face and says, “You are my daughter/son (you’re safe with me), you are my beloved (you are seen and known), and you are a delight (rest secure; knowing that I am involved in your life).” Our response to this is Jesus’ contemplative rhythm: surrender, sit, and see.

What is most real about us is who we are in relation to God: We are “hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3), and we also are “called children of God” (1 John 3:1). We are safe, seen, and secure. However, it is possible that we do not see ourselves this way. We may know the verses in the Bible but not feel it in our bones. We may know the theology of God’s love but not experience it as we confront the realities of life. 

This is why contemplative practice is so important. When we are experiencing life in ways that lead us away from a restfulness in God, contemplation allows us to return. We simply notice afflictive thoughts and/or emotional reactions and we return once again to the gaze of God. 

However, it is also possible that we perceive God’s gaze not as a smile but perhaps some kind of frown or even a blank stare. It is possible that our core assumption is that God is disinterested or distant or judgmental. As you sit in the gaze of God – that quiet place where words are not needed – notice if your perception of God’s face is anything other than that of a loving, connected Father. If it is, release those thoughts and hear these words spoken over you.

This is my daughter/son, the beloved, in whom I take delight.

Memorize these words from Matthew 3:17. Make them your meditation today.

Let His gaze define you. Rest in it. Trust it. Another way to state it: Surrender to God’s gaze as the defining reality of your life; sit in your belovedness; and see God at work in you and around you.

Prayer: Lord, in your mercy, give me the strength to surrender to your voice, sit in it, and see myself and the world through it. Amen.