I’m Especially Fond of You

I went last night to see the movie The Shack, based upon the book of the same title. It is a beautiful picture of God’s love and I recommend both the movie and the book.

In it a man who is struggling with deep depression and guilt meets God. And even in the mess of this man’s life, in all his brokenness and failures, God looks at him and earnestly says, “I’m especially fond of you.”

We don’t understand that kind of love. We look at others, we look at ourselves, and see the humanness, all the failures and regrets.  We have trouble seeing what God sees in us at all sometimes. We’ve been conditioned to see ourselves in terms of our shortcomings, while God in His infinite knowledge and love sees you as an amazing, beautiful wonderful creation, more beautiful than the most perfect flower, more majestic and breathtaking than the most spectacular mountain sunset. Yes, you. That’s his real, honest assessment. That is not Him being kind or merciful or forgiving. That is not like us saying “oh what a cute baby” when we actually think “Gee, only a mother could love that.” No, when God looks at our soul He sees true beauty, a beauty that He is instantly and fervently drawn to, a beauty that he cherishes and treasures and is “especially fond of.”

So I encourage you to sit with that today. As you go about your day I want you to hear God saying to you “I’m especially fond of you.” I want you to look in a mirror and look in your eyes and say, “You know, God is especially fond of you” and if you’re not careful, see a tear or two roll down your cheek.

God is especially fond of you.