By Lilly Lewin
I spent last weekend at the Opryland Hotel, creating a Sacred Space prayer experience for the Warmth in Winter Conference. I’ve had the honor to curate a Sacred Space for WNW ( the annual winter conference for Methodist students and leaders) for the past eleven years. This year our theme was SEEN...Jesus sees us! We are SEEN by Jesus …with love and compassion and with honor. And as we realize we are SEEN by Jesus, then we are able to SEE others with love, honor and compassion too. 
I need the reminder today that Jesus truly sees me, SEES each of us! I need to remember that Jesus sees all the things around you and me, and all the horrific suffering happening in our world. Honestly, I haven’t been doing very well with all the pain of this week. I’m feeling the weight of the blindness and fear of our elected officials. I am saddened by deaths of immigrants deported from our country rather than allowed to seek asylum. There is still destruction and devastation due to fires in Australia and earthquakes in Puerto Rico, just to name a few of the painful heavy things that are weighing on me. BUT TODAY I AM SEEN! Today, You to are SEEN by Jesus!
PSALM 56:8-11 NRSV
You have kept count of my tossings;
put my tears in your bottle.
Are they not in your record?
Then my enemies will retreat
in the day when I call.
This I know, that God is for me.
In God, whose word I praise,
in the Lord, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I am not afraid.
PSALM 56:8 THE MESSAGE
You’ve kept track of my every toss and turn
through the sleepless nights,
Each tear entered in your ledger,
each ache written in your book.
PSALM 56: 8-11 New American Standard Version
You have taken account of my wanderings;
Put my tears in Your bottle.
Are they not in Your book?
Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call;
This I know, that God is for me.
In God, whose word I praise,
In the Lord, whose word I praise,
In God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid.
What can man do to me?
In the SEEN Sacred Space we had a SEEN in GRIEF STATION. At this station we had two ways to respond to our grief and sorrow. First, we wrote down our pain and prayers of grief in a large blank book. Second, we poured water from a pitcher into a beautiful vase to represent all the tears we’ve cried and all the sorrow we have, giving these to Jesus to hold. Here is the Station:
BEING SEEN In GRIEF & LOSS
Being seen and SEEING JESUS in the midst of Grief and Loss
Jesus wants to you to know you are SEEN and loved even in your Grief and Sorrow.
Even in Loss,
Jesus is with you!
There are many hard and painful things happening in our lives.
Jesus says,
“Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted.”
ACTION 1:Write your prayers of Grief and Sorrow in the Book
Know that Jesus sees them already.
Allow Jesus to hold them for you!
ACTION 2:
POUR SOME WATER in the Jar
Allow this water to represent your tears. Know that God is holding them and God sees them! Talk to Jesus about your pain as you pour in the water.
Allow this water to represent your tears.
Know that God is holding them and God sees them!
Talk to Jesus about your pain as you pour in the water.
Jesus SEES you in your pain and is holding you close.
You might be feeling pain or sorrow this week too. Find a beautiful vase or simple jar to hold your tears. Pour water into the vase or jar and allow Jesus to hold your tears for you. Give your heaviness to him. Or Write down your pain and grief and give that to Jesus in a letter. Let Jesus love you and hold you today.
Your grief may be heavy. Your tears may be many. Know that you are SEEN and loved deeply by Jesus in even in your grief.
Featured image by my friend Artist Amy Poole , London
©lillylewin and freerangeworship@gmail.com