John Newton’s journey toward spiritual enlightenment began amidst a violent storm on a ship called the Greyhound as it traveled across the Atlantic. This tumultuous experience marked the start of profound changes in his life, including a shift from supporting the slave trade to becoming one of its fiercest critics. His iconic hymn, “Amazing Grace,” reflects this transformation and celebrates the goodness of God: “I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see.”
Newton’s blindness symbolized a life detached from divine grace—a life mired in self-interest and moral darkness. However, once he truly “saw,” he recognized both his past transgressions and a benevolent God who loved him unconditionally. This revelation illuminated a path toward the person he could become through God’s kindness.
Seeing is foundational to what we describe as a love-shaped life. It is the first of four essential practices—See, Meditate, Accept, and Rest—that anchor our spiritual journey with God.
In the early Christian era, a wise leader prayed for believers to receive “the Spirit of wisdom and revelation” to deepen their knowledge of God (Ephesians 1:17–18). He emphasized that having “the eyes of your heart enlightened” was crucial for understanding God’s love—not with physical sight but with a deeper perception of the mind.
This critical vision is what Newton experienced: the transformative truth about an ever-loving God. This same leader whose name was Paul yearned for his readers to grasp the vastness of divine love—its breadth, length, height, and depth (Ephesians 3:18-19). With the promise that as they do, they would be filled with “all the fullness of God.”
Knowing God’s love extends beyond factual knowledge; it involves personal experience. Seeing God correlates directly with becoming someone who embodies divine love. Experiencing this profound love draws us closer to Him—not through force but through His radical affection.
God’s everlasting love is not merely an action; it is His essence. It provides grounding and security for believers. Paul understood that experiencing this love was key to spiritual anchorage— being fully known and yet fully loved by God.
Knowing God’s love extends beyond factual knowledge; it involves personal experience. Seeing God correlates directly with becoming someone who embodies divine love. Experiencing this profound love draws us closer to Him—not through force but through His radical affection.
Thus, seeing remains central to following Jesus. It’s not outdated or merely introductory; it’s essential for rooting our lives in God through seeing, meditating, accepting, and resting. Jesus emphasized this when speaking about His impending crucifixion: “If I be lifted up I will draw everyone to Myself” (John 12:32). There is a drawing power in seeing God in His beauty. That power then shapes our lives to become beautiful people, just like God.
Paul went on to say: “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”
This verse emphasizes the transformative power of contemplating God’s character and glory. As believers gaze upon God’s beauty and majesty, they undergo a spiritual transformation. This process is described as being transformed “into his image,” suggesting that by focusing on God’s divine attributes, individuals gradually reflect these attributes in their own lives. The transformation is ongoing, marked by “ever-increasing glory,” indicating a continuous growth in embodying God’s character.
The connection between this verse and being transformed by the beauty of God’s character lies in the act of contemplation or reflection. By consistently turning one’s attention to God’s qualities—such as love, holiness, and compassion—believers are spiritually shaped and molded to mirror those qualities more closely in their own behavior and thoughts. This transformation is facilitated by the Holy Spirit, who empowers and guides believers in this journey of becoming more like God.
Jesus lived by seeing God—not with physical eyes but through heart and mind: “The Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing” (John 5:19). This insight anchored Jesus’s actions and reactions in daily living.
Yet religion often obscures rather than reveals this other-centered love. Overcoming religious barriers is vital for fully experiencing God’s richness. Here’s how:
Observe: Witness God’s character in Jesus’s life as portrayed in the Gospels.
Desire Vision: Express to God in prayer your longing to see and experience His boundless love.
Seek Guidance: Invite the Holy Spirit to illuminate your vision.
Release Misconceptions: Be open to discarding misconceptions about God that limit experiencing His vast love.
Instead of striving for self-improvement or perfection, lean into God’s narrative of radical love. Allow this transformative process to shape you into someone who loves like God—wildly and beautifully.
Loveshaped Life is a non-profit organization. If you would like to help share the love, you can give at Loveshaped.Life.
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