Week 5 | Sit: From Shame to Solitude

The temptation to jump off the pinnacle of the temple (Matthew 4) appealed to the real human need to be seen and known. The evil in this temptation was trying to find this need met by the applause of men rather than the gaze of God. This is what Jesus addresses in Matthew 6 again and again – the contrast between “in order to be seen by them” versus “your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

For most of us, we were formed through relationships that are performance based and transactional. The relationship within the Trinity contains neither of those dynamics. It was noted previously that the Father spoke the words of belovedness at Jesus’ baptism (Matthew 3) before Jesus had engaged in any ministry activity at all. Those same words of identity, affirmation, and connection show up again in Matthew 17:1-8 at Jesus’ transfiguration.

He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him” (v 5).

Even after Jesus had performed miracles (turning water into wine, feeding thousands with just a few loaves and fishes, calming a storm on the sea) and healings (people who were ill, blind, leprous, paralyzed), the message was the same: This is my Son, the beloved, in whom I delight. The Father’s posture toward the Son did not elevate or change because of all Jesus was doing. Certainly, Jesus prayed and heard the Father’s voice leading Him day by day, but God’s gaze did not change. He saw past all the activities to the heart of God the Son. 

Being seen and known in God’s gaze is better and different from the ways we may have tried to meet the need outside of our Lord. He is not performance based. The Lord does not gush over good things we do or dismay over our sin. He is not transactional. God does not demand that we do certain things or stop doing things to get His love and blessing.

Pause here for a moment and consider: Are there ways I have assumed I need to work for God to feel a sense of affirmation? Are there ways I think that God owes me because of what I’ve done? The thinking could be: I don’t deserve to get cancer (or my children shouldn’t be struggling) because I have done all the right things. Or, If I do what is good and right, I’ll feel close to God.

God’s seeing of us – His love for us – is greater than the way we may have learned relationships. His love transcends, and we are invited to step into His gaze and trust that love. In Psalm 80, we read a refrain that is repeated three times (vv 3, 7, 19): 

Restore us, O God; let your face shine upon us, that we may be delivered!

In the Message translation, Peterson renders this verse as: “God, come back! Smile your blessing smile: That will be our salvation.” Indeed, a face that shines is a face with a smile. Have you considered that God smiles upon you? His fundamental posture is a smile toward us. Rest with that for a few moments.

Sensing His face shining upon us is the heart of receiving our belovedness. 

The following short story is from Brennan Manning (The Rabbi’s Heartbeat):

The greatest gift I have ever received from Jesus Christ has been the Abba experience. My dignity as Abba’s child is my most coherent sense of self. Years ago, I related a story about a priest from Detroit named Edward Farrell who visited his uncle in Ireland on his eightieth birthday. On the great day, they got up before dawn and went walking in silence along the shores of Lake Killarney and stopped to watch the sunrise. As they stood side by side, staring at the rising sun, suddenly the uncle turned and went skipping down the road. He was radiant, beaming and smiling from ear to ear. His nephew said, “Uncle Seamus, you really look happy.” “I am, lad.” “Want to tell me why?” His eighty year old uncle replied, “Yes, you see, my Abba is very fond of me.”

At the transfiguration, we see what Hebrews 1:3 says: 

He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. 

Jesus’ face is radiant toward us. He smiles. And because He smiles, we know the Father smiles upon us. In God’s gaze, He sees and He smiles.

The one difference between the words spoken over Jesus at the baptism and at the transfiguration are the words, “Listen to My son.” In other words, follow Him – shape your life after Him. And, so, we seek to live in the gaze of God as Jesus did. It is important to note that Jesus certainly knew who He was as well as the posture of the Father toward Him, and He needed to hear it. We need to hear it. 

Spend a few moments in your quiet place of solitude and tell the Father you need to hear His voice of love. Tell Him that you need to hear that He sees you. Sit quietly and listen for His voice. Remember that the quiet may be the expression of His love as well.

Prayer: Father, I rest in Your love for me. It is enough. Help me to be settled in Your smile, knowing that You are very fond of me. Amen.