Cherished by Patsy Pearson

Cherished

From the time we are little girls, we respond to compliments on how we look. Pretty dresses, a new hairstyle, new shoes, a piece of jewelry - they all make us feel special, and we like to be told that we are special. Little girls often get their affirmations from their parents or as we find our special someone later in life.  We look to them for compliments!  Some men are better than others about passing out compliments, and my Bob was one of those men. ”You look nice!”, or “I like that outfit on you”, and sometimes he would say, “You’re beautiful”. I would protest, because to me “beauty” is something out of the ordinary, and I find myself quite ordinary, especially when I compare myself with others. But it was so special that he found me beautiful, as he was the one I was trying to impress. I knew that in his eyes, I was beautiful, because he saw me through the eyes of love. I felt beautiful and truly cherished, and I knew that I was the most important person in his world.

After Bob’s death, I felt that I had lost the only person in the world who truly cherished me, and it left me feeling bereft. My children and grandchildren love me, but there are others more important to them in their worlds, as it should be. My friends love me, but again, there are others in their lives who claim their best love and loyalty.

But I have been reminded in my spirit that God loves me and thinks I am special. Jeremiah 31:3 says “I have loved you with an everlasting love.” Psalm 31:7 declares, “I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love, for you have seen my troubles and you care about the anguish of my soul.”

And my favorite, Zephaniah 3:17 tells me this: “The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.” What a beautiful picture of love that is! If that doesn’t make me feel special and cherished, then nothing will. I am cherished by God, and I am so special to Him that He gave His only Son to die for my sins, so that I may spend my eternity with Him.

So even though my husband is no longer at my side to tell me I am beautiful and cherished, I can know that God does - I am precious in His sight, as I Peter 2:4 tells me. He looks upon me not on my outward appearance, but into my heart.

I hope that you, too, regardless of your circumstances, will feel God’s love, knowing that you are beautiful and precious to Him.

Written by Patsy Pearson and published with permission.