As we walk with Jesus and serve Him, we should take time to spend time with Him and know Him.   #theloriclineshow   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   Do you avoid eye contact? I know people who do and to be honest it drives me crazy. I think the thing is, the extrovert side of me, wants to get to know you, like everyone of you! So, when I meet people or talk to people, I want to connect, lean in and really hear what they have to say. It’s difficult for me to do that, without eye contact. For some though, eye contact is a difficult thing. It’s good for people like me to understand that some people have very real social anxieties and looking into someone’s eyes can be overwhelming or intimidating. I read there’s actually a 50/70 rule when it comes to eye contact. Maintain eye contact 50% of the time when speaking and 70% when listening. Good to know. No matter where you are, when it comes to eye contact, the reality is, when we look into someones eyes, we can’t NOT be seen. Has there ever been a time you didn’t want to be seen? Yeah, me too. I think back to when I was a little girl and I was in trouble for doing something or maybe I wasn’t telling the whole truth about a situation and my Mom and Dad knew it. They would say, “Lori Lee, look at me.” The moment I would look into their eyes, I was undone. Guilty as charged, whatever I had done had to come out! I could NOT look them in the eyes and not tell the truth. They saw right through me and loved me still. Another time I did not want to be seen, was actually a time that my husband and I had one of our biggest arguments ever. It was a doozy. We were not seeing eye to eye. I was done with the conversation, and did not want to look into his eyes in that moment. He didn’t give up and he wanted me to know he saw me. Behind my wall of anger and frustration, the truth was, I was afraid. I couldn’t hide that and he saw right through me and loved me still. INTO ME SEE. Intimacy, is knowing and being fully known. Even when we want to hide in shame or avoid being seen for who we have been or for who we really are, Jesus wants us to draw close to Him and look into His eyes. When we look into His eyes we are looking into the eyes of the Father. John 14:8-9 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Jesus had just washed the disciples feet in the upper room. Philip and all the disciples had walked with Jesus, talked with Jesus and saw Him do amazing things. They had been a part of His ministry. Yes, they had looked into the eyes of Jesus, but they didn’t fully see that they had looked into the eyes of God. The Father asks us the same question. Don’t you know me? Look me in the eyes and be known, be seen for all you are and all you are not and be loved. Are we guilty of walking with Jesus, talking with Jesus and doing all the things FOR Jesus, but NOT stopping each day to look into the eyes of Jesus? When I really stop and draw close to the Father, I see His love for me. I know Him more. He sees me and He knows me, every part. My guilt is revealed. I am undone. My wall of anger and frustration, over all the pain of my life and this broken world, crumbles. I am in awe of His holiness and my fears are driven out and my trust renewed as I see Him and He sees me and loves me still. The eyes of the Father are always on me, He just wants me to be still and know He IS God, draw near to Him daily and look into His eyes. That’s the truth. Drawing closer to the Father has nothing to do with what you DO for the Father. Today, look into the Father’s eyes. Be seen. Be loved and be renewed. I’m Lori Cline.