He Sees Us

February 27, 2023

I remember when our cat, Zandy died. Zandy was our very loud 18-year-old Siamese cat. We had her put to sleep in 2014. At that time, she had a combination of hyperthyroidism and kidney disease which is common in older cats I guess. It made her unable to hold water and she lost weight and appetite despite all we might do. Here she is a few days before she died.

I have never had a pet from “beginning to end”. It was a very sad day to have to arrange for this to happen-to make an appointment at the vet, to take her in, to wait in a room as they prepare injections to sedate her and then put her “to sleep”. And then to pay them to do all this-very much a unique experience for my wife and I and our family.

As we were sitting there, waiting for the doctor, Vonnie was holding Zandy in her lap. I looked at the kitty-trying to memorize her one more time. She was so much thinner, her eyes had a film over them from being dehydrated, her fur looked bad, she was weak-she didn’t look like the same healthy, happy kitty we had for so many years.

But as I looked at her, even in this condition, I had a moment of clarity-I wasn’t just seeing a sick dying kitty, I saw “my Zandy.” I saw HER. I saw the kitty I loved. I saw the essence of who she was-and I loved her and cried when she passed.

And in a moment of hopeful inspiration, I thought- “this is how God sees us-not as good or bad, or even happy or sad, or sick or well, or rich or poor, or black or white, or male or female-He SEES US.”

I think when God looks at us, He sees His children, He sees the essence of who we are. He made us, He redeemed us, He knows us, and He loves us anyway, anyhow, anywhere. There is nothing I can do to end that love. What a miracle undying, unrelenting Love is. It fills the heart to overflowing.

After Zandy died, I thought of this often when I would walk into a patient’s room-as a hospital chaplain, or even now as a pastor. When I see a sick patient or church member, I need to remember that-I might see an old person, or a sick person or think of the name of the condition the patient has, but the family doesn’t think like that-they see their loved one. Their longing is for pain to be taken away, for recovery and their hearts are heavy and concerned for the one they love.

I long and pray for God’s Eyes, God’s Vision, to see things and people as He sees them-to see with compassion and clarity and LOVE. If I can see my Zandy that way, I am so thankful for a grace filled God who sees us even better.