There are many places in the Bible where God talks about His people and how He sees us. When God looks at us, what does He see?

In 1 John 3:1-2 God reveals that He views us as a loving Father does His children. Human beings with normal emotions have an affinity for children, but our own children are special to us. So it is with God; He loves us with unconditional love. Psalm 103:13 states that "as a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him." God is deeply concerned for every member of His family.

Loving parents will do everything to protect, provide for, nourish, teach and train their children. The goal of parenthood is to impart proper values to your children, to help them to develop their talents and skills and to mature into adulthood. Our Father is working with us to develop His character now and at the resurrection to elevate us to His level of existence. His desire is to share eternity with His family.

What makes God happy and gives Him great pleasure? Notice Luke 12:32: "Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Other versions translate this as "it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom" and "your Father did delight to give you the reign" (New Living Translation and Young's Literal Translation emphasis added).

God says that those who respect and honor Him will become something very precious to Him. A perfect example of this is found in Malachi 3:17: "'They shall be Mine' says the Lord of hosts, 'on the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.'"

The word translated "jewels" here means something of very great value. The New International Version says we will become His "treasured possession." When God sees us, He sees that we are human, that we are flesh and blood and that we make mistakes. But He also sees what we will become through His Spirit working in us. It is mind-boggling to contemplate that we are a special treasure to the Almighty God of the universe.

God has handpicked us ahead of time—the firstfruits—to be a part of His family and assist Him in bringing many sons to glory in the future. We are His chosen ones. God has promised to never leave us or forsake us and that He will be with us to the end of the age.

We can take comfort and courage from Philippians 1:6: "Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it