A life-changing concept

Today I visited notsodeepwater and found these words comforting:

I heard today that when God looks at us, all he sees is Christ. I don’t think that is completely true. Before I knew him, he loved me. He knew my name. Having come to Christ, he still knows me by name. He sees me. The big difference (and this is my comfort and joy today) is that he loves me in a special way because I am in Christ. Every morning I awake, he smiles and bids me to enjoy his love and mercy afresh. His favour rests on me whether my quiet time is 15 minutes or 2 hours. The resurrection tells me that God loved Jesus, and it screams out that God loves me... today, now, forever.

Of all the truths expressed in the Bible, I don't think any has more potential to transform our hearts than the truth that God loves us. If I were honest with myself, I'd have to admit that most of the time my concepts of God are flawed. Sometimes I blame my own hardships on him, as if he takes pleasure in seeing me suffer. I unconsciously assume he's as hard and judgmental on me as I am on myself. How liberating to remember that he really loves me and wants good things for me. In that knowledge is peace, joy, newness of life.