God’s Love for the Individual

 

I remember spending countless hours in front of the mirror during my teen years. To me, so much of my life depended on my current hair style, the clothes I wore, or the state of my acne. I was constantly worried about what other people, especially my “friends,” thought of me. And the whole basis for my self-evaluation was my outward appearance.

I also remember during that time trying to know more about God. Books on Zen Buddhism and other Eastern thought were popular in the early 1970s. I vividly recall sitting in the rocking chair in our basement wondering about my destiny. I even tried to read our Jerusalem Bible, but gave up in the genealogies at the beginning of Genesis. I deeply worried about my future. I was taught that if I committed even one mortal sin before death, I was doomed to a fiery eternity in hell. I did not know the Creator as a personal Father. I did not realize how much He knew about me!

Seeing Things: God’s Way or People’s Way

Thankfully, I learned a few years later that it is what is on the inside that matters most. And that my heavenly Father knows me better than I even know myself. I learned how God cares for each individual. And I saw that Jesus Christ showed us how to do this on a practical, human level.

Psalms 139: 1-6 [James Moffatt translation]:
Thou searchest me, Eternal One, thou knowest me,
thou knowest me sitting or rising, my very thoughts thou leadest from afar; walking or resting, I am scanned by thee, and all my life to thee lies open; ere ever a word comes to my tongue, O thou Eternal, ’tis well known to thee; thou art on every side, behind me and before, laying thy hand on me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is far, far beyond me.

God knows us inside out. He knows what we are going to think even before we think it. We can’t “hide” anything from Him. I love that we are “scanned” by the Father. That reminds me of modern technology used to discover what is going on in our bodies. God is the heart searcher, and our lives lie open to Him. And even knowing our faults and foibles, He protects us on every side and has His hand of blessing upon us. Such knowledge is indeed “too wonderful.” Although it is “far beyond me,” I am thankful to have God’s Word to help me understand His great love.

God looks on the inside, but where do most people look?

I Samuel 16:7 [James Moffatt translation]:
But the Eternal said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature; I have passed him by, for the Eternal does not see as man sees; man looks at the outward appearance, but the Eternal looks at the heart.”

People look on the outward appearance. This is how we are trained from the day we are born. We learn to observe our parents and other family members. We learn when crying or pouting works to help us get what we want. We learn to read body language and other “outward” clues to figure out life. Scientists and detectives (like my childhood hero, Sherlock Holmes) make their living on astute observation of the physical realm. But there is another way to see things.

People look outside in. We want to be like our Father, Who looks from the inside out. To Him, each and every person is important and He offers to all His love and kindness.

Our Father Is Big Enough to Take Care of Each Person

Luke 12:6,7 [James Moffatt translation]:
Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.
But the very hairs on your head are all numbered; fear not, you are worth far more than sparrows.

Jesus Christ knew the Father better than any man who ever lived. He saw how birds were of little worth in the market place. Yet our loving Creator keeps track of each one. In an age of bio-cellular studies and intrascopic surgery, it is amazing to realize that God knows every hair on our heads. Actually, this is an Eastern idiom meaning God is concerned with our well being (see I Samuel 14:45; Daniel 3:27; Luke 21:8; Acts 27:34).

I was sitting in our backyard a few days ago looking at ants. I was on the small set of steps next to our rosemary bush that is full of bees. I love to go there and watch them gather nectar. As I looked to my right, I saw hundreds of ants forming “interstate highways” along the concrete ledge. There were probably thousands of them under the nearby plants. I loved watching them scurry about and “greet” each other with their antennae before moving along on their mission.

Since I was thinking about God’s love for the individual, I decided to try and keep my eye on just one ant. It wasn’t that easy! I was able to follow him even as he interacted with other ants that looked (to me) exactly like him. But it took a lot of concentration to stay focused on this single object of my attention. Then I thought about God. Keeping track of every living thing is way too big for me, but not for our Father. Each individual is important to Him.

 

Jesus Christ’s Care for the Individual

And Jesus Christ had this same care for others that He learned from his Father.

Matthew 18:1-5,14 [James Moffatt translation]:
At that hour the disciples came and asked Jesus, “Who is greatest in the Realm of heaven?”
So he called a child, set it among them, and said, “I tell you truly, unless you turn and become like children, you will never get into the Realm of heaven at all.
Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the Realm of heaven; and whoever receives a little child like this for my sake, receives me.
So it is not the will of your Father in heaven that a single one of these little ones should be lost.

When his disciples began to get prideful and look on the outward appearance of others, Jesus brought them back to the Father’s reality. Each and every person is important to God. When we have simple hearts like children, we will see this truth. The Father did not want to lose anyone. He wants all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth (I Timothy 2:3,4).

Jesus told them of his future glory to bring this point home. When the Son of Man sits upon his throne, he will judge righteously. The King will welcome some for doing many good deeds unto him. But these “just” ones will ask when they did such things.

Matthew 25:37-40 [James Moffatt translation]:
Then the just will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and fed you? or thirsty and gave you drink? when did we see you a stranger and entertain you? or unclothed and clothed you? when did we see you ill or in prison and visit you?’
The King will answer them, ‘I tell you truly, in so far as you did it to one of these brothers of mine, even to the least of them, you did it to me.’

Giving people food, clothing, shelter, and comfort are very important. It is the love behind such actions that really matters. Today, so-called leaders talk about “the greater good.” They say that some individuals are expendable if it brings success to the “whole.” It is funny how these leaders never seem to be the ones willing to be expended for the greater good.

With God, just the opposite is true. When we take care of each and every individual first, that builds the “greater good” of all involved.

Enough for All

At times, people look at their circumstances and worry that they will not have their need met. God doesn’t run out of resources. The Father has enough for all.

Psalms 103:1-5,11-14 [James Moffatt translation]:
Bless the Eternal, O my soul, let all my being bless his sacred name; bless the Eternal, O my soul, remember all his benefits; he pardons all your sins, and all your sicknesses he heals, he saves your life from death, he crowns you with his love and pity, he gives you all your heart’s desire, renewing your youth like an eagle’s.
But, high as heaven is over earth, so vast his love is to his worshippers; as far as east from the west, so far he puts away our sins from us.
As a father pities his children, so the Eternal pities his worshippers; he knows what we are made of, he remembers we are dust.

Look at the amazing care God has for us. He pardons every time we miss the mark. He heals us every time we get sick. He gives us our hearts’ desires and keeps us renewed and vital. In the Father’s great love, He remembers that we are made of dust, yet He gives us health and strength and a joyful, long life!

When the children of Israel left Egypt after eating the Passover Lamb, they saw the benefit of following God’s commands. This lamb represented what Jesus Christ would later do for us in bringing salvation from sin and physical healing through his suffering and death. God was concerned about each individual. There was not one weary person among them.

Psalms 105:37 [James Moffatt translation]:
Then he led out…not a weary man among them.

Jesus Christ’s Mission: Saving Each Individual Person

God gave His Son, Jesus Christ, a mission to accomplish. It had been foretold by the prophet Isaiah. As the Messiah, Jesus carried it out to perfection.

Luke 19:10 [James Moffatt translation]:
For the Son of man has come to seek and save the lost.

Luke 4:16-21 [James Moffatt translation]:
Then he came to Nazaret, where he had been brought up, and on the sabbath he entered the synagogue as was his custom. He stood up to read the lesson and was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah; on opening the book he came upon the place where it was written,
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me: for he has consecrated me to preach the gospel to the poor, he has sent me to proclaim release for captives and recovery of sight for the blind, to set free the oppressed, to proclaim the Lord’s year of favour.
Then, folding up the book, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him, and he proceeded to tell them that “To-day, this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

Jesus Christ never forgot his mission. He carried out God’s promise that “I did not lose a single one of those whom thou didst give me” (John 18:9). Who could Jesus potentially “lose” them to? God’s archenemy, the Devil. As Satan, the adversary used religious leaders and worldly systems to enslave those who sought God and wanted His help. Jesus Christ stripped away the lies and false disguises these religious leaders used. He ministered healing and deliverance despite the Devil’s forces in this world. We can do the same.

Luke 13:10-17 [James Moffatt translation]:
When he [Jesus] was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath, there was a woman who for eighteen years had suffered weakness from an evil spirit; indeed she was bent double and quite unable to raise herself.
Jesus noticed her and called to her, “Woman, you are released from your weakness.”
He laid his hands on her, and instantly she became erect and glorified God.
But the president of the synagogue was annoyed at Jesus healing on the sabbath, and he said to the crowd, “There are six days for work to be done; come during them to get healed, instead of on the sabbath.”
The Lord replied to him, “You hypocrites, does not each of you untether his ox or ass from the stall on the sabbath and lead it away to drink?
And this woman, a daughter of Abraham, bound by Satan for all these eighteen years, was she not to be freed from her bondage on the sabbath?”
As he said this, all his opponents were put to shame, but all the crowd rejoiced over all his splendid doings.

Using common sense and real-life examples, Jesus Christ showed the crowd how evil and foolish these religious leaders were. He reminded the people that the true God cared about each individual and their well-being. Doing God’s will, our lord put the hypocrites to shame, and the crowd rejoiced over all his splendid deeds! This record shows us four things we can do:

1. Get out. Go where the Father sends you to help others.
2. Notice people. Just as Jesus saw the woman bound for eighteen years, we can talk to people and find out their needs and heart’s desires.
3. Put away evil and bring God’s deliverance. Like Jesus Christ, we can walk by the spirit and by God’s grace, see His power heal and bless those we minister to. We can also boldly and courageously back down the adversary as he works through religion and worldly systems.
4. Rejoice together. We will glorify our Father for His mighty works and rejoice in the splendid deeds we can accomplish with His power.

Individuals Who Made a Difference with God’s Help

God looks on the heart. He loves each individual person. God began with just one individual, Adam. He provided Adam with the perfect mate, Eve, and gave them both His spirit so that they could know him. Later, when basically the whole world had turned evil in their hearts, God saw the heart of one individual, Noah. He found grace in God’s sight and was able to save all life upon earth.

God called one individual, Abraham, and promised that all nations would be blessed in his seed (Genesis 12:1-3). That seed was Jesus Christ. There are a few places in the Bible where God called individuals, repeating their names.

God said “Abraham, Abraham” (Genesis 22:11) to get his attention and prevent Abraham from wrongfully killing his son. God called Abraham’s grandson—“Jacob, Jacob” (Genesis 46:2)—in a vision at Beersheba. He told Jacob of his future blessings and that He would make a great nation of him.

God saw the tender heart of one individual, Moses, and got his attention with a burning bush that was not consumed. Then God called to him, “Moses, Moses” (Exodus 3:4), and gave him a great mission to deliver God’s people. As a young boy serving Eli the priest, Samuel heard from the Lord three times. He learned to recognize God’s voice as the Lord said “Samuel, Samuel” when He called the third time (I Samuel 3:10). Samuel answered God’s call and became a powerful prophet in Israel.

Jesus Christ spoke for his Father. He called Martha from her worldly distractions to seek those things that matter. He said “Martha, Martha” (Luke 10:41) and encouraged her to do what was needful, “that good part” of seeking God and His Word. Jesus also got Peter’s attention when he said “Simon, Simon” and warned his beloved disciple of Satan’s attacks (Luke 22:31). Jesus Christ saw the godly potential in Peter and prayed for his believing and future leadership of God’s people.

God gave the adamant Pharisee, Saul, a vision of Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus as he journeyed to arrest Christians. In the vision, Jesus Christ said “Saul, Saul” (Acts 9:3-6). Later, as the Apostle Paul, he served his lord and savior Jesus Christ for the rest of his life.

Taking Care of Individuals Today

Jesus Christ’s prayer for Peter worked. He did continue strong in believing, was converted (born again), and strengthened his brethren. Peter wrote two epistles, and showed God’s continual concern for each individual believer, and what we can do to bless one another.

I Peter 4:8-11 [James Moffatt translation]:
Above all, be keen to love one another, for love hides a host of sins.
Be hospitable to each other, and do not grudge it.
You must serve one another, each with the talent he has received, as efficient stewards of God’s varied grace.
If anyone preaches, he must preach as one who utters the words of God; if anyone renders some service, it must be as one who is supplied by God with power, so that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. The glory and the dominion are his for ever and ever: Amen.

We overlook mistakes with love and serve one another in love. With whatever abilities God has given us, we can use them efficiently and effectively to carry out His will. That includes preaching what our Father wants us to say, serving with His ability, and glorifying Him through what we have in Christ. Jesus Christ is lord, and we prove it daily by our lives. Just like our Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, we take care of each individual with love, respect, and holiness.