A Short Dream

(This is my attempt to describe something almost indescribable, and I know it will fail in many ways because of man’s limited vocabulary and visual comparisons.) 

       I knew it was a dream so it didn’t bother me to be only a few inches from her face.  I can barely begin to describe the incredible, ethereal beauty I was observing in her face.  Gazing in her eyes, all I could see was light and life, perfection and wholeness.  Her amazing eyes were perfectly framed by long, intense lashes and I gazed away only long enough to notice the flawlessness of her skin, her features perfectly complementing each other, and even her hair was gleaming and exuded life.  I was irresistibly drawn to her beauty because it wasn’t just in her features but radiated out of her being.

       The picture of her face burned in my mind so much that when my brain awoke (too early) I refused to open my eyes or get out of bed because I didn’t want to let go of her magnificent face in my mind.  So, half an hour later I lay, still seeing her breathtaking flawlessness in my mind and wondering at the meaning of it.  Right from the start I knew the face I was observing was mine, and trust me, I have never seen my face look that good!

       I won’t bemoan my physical appearance, but suffice it to say that I went from feeling completely ugly as a teen, to okay in my twenties and finally accepting my personal beauty in my thirties.  It has taken many years (since one of my trials) for life to return to my eyes. (I actually wrote a post about that!)  The face I see in the mirror everyday certainly doesn’t come close to the one I was gazing on.  So my question to the Lord was: is this how You see me now, or is it how I will be in Heaven?

       Immediately I realized that God sees me physically just as I am, and just as I am is beautiful to Him already.  The dream was a glorious picture of what will be in a world without sickness and disease, without sin and shame, without pain and grief, where life abounds in perfection and indescribable beauty beyond our comprehension is typical.  It is the future He has prepared for those who love and obey Him… an eternal place where life abounds full of joy and peace unending …

for you…

     for me…

Oh Lord, precious Lord…

     what You have in store for us!

Maybe

       Marriages over twenty years are falling apart, people are in financial distress as some are still laid off.  More people are diagnosed with cancer every day, others are anxious over the coming Christmas season, while others are mourning a loss, and over all there is tension, trials, stress, struggles, loss, pain and loneliness. 

       Maybe this year we could focus more on making other’s lives easier instead of spending more time in stores.  Perhaps we could reach out to a stranger with a hand of comfort instead of running by to get the latest electronics on sale.  Even in limited time, we can offer a smile, a kind word while waiting in line or at work and ask if a person would like some prayer.

       Maybe, just maybe, this Christmas season, instead of putting up more Christmas lights and pouring out more egg nog, we could shine the light of Jesus Christ from our hearts and eyes, and let His living water flow out of us and touch the lives around us with the unconditional love of the Savior. 

Need Glasses?

       It doesn’t matter how much I strain or try to see without my glasses, the distance remains a blur.  It’s especially bad when you are uncertain of the time on the clock at the end of the dining table.  I’ve been wearing glasses since I was about eight, and my drivers license requires they be worn to drive, but the truth is for seeing distance I don’t like to have them off.  I can’t stand seeing blurry!  The crisp details of life are interesting to me.

       Brandon Heath wrote a song, “Give Me Your Eyes” about a person, likely a Christian, who is asking God to give him God’s eyes so that he can see the people the way God sees them.  It is easier to look past people with their struggles and pain, because when we look at them we begin to really see them; seeing them means we might begin to empathize, and then we will have to do something… and who has the time or resources to do that, right?  Looking past is the easy way out- and the self absorbed way.  God always sees man, every man, even his innermost part.

(1Sam. 16:7)

       Jesus said the two greatest commands were to love the Lord your God with your whole self, and to love your neighbour as yourself.  (Just check out how many times in the New Testament it says to love our fellow man- it’s a lot.)  So, I’m thinking that we need to pay attention to the many scriptures that say we are to love others not just in words, but in actions.

       To start, it might help if we all put on our 'God' glasses so that we can see more clearly.  We were supposed to put them on when we first accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, and most of us did start seeing some things clearer, but it’s not too late to see it all the way God wants us to see it.  Scripture is meant to help us clear up our vision.  The more we read and understand with the Holy Spirit’s help, the clearer we will see.

       Also, we can ask the Lord to help us better see the world, the spirit realm, and most of all our fellow man- through His eyes.  Lately I’ve begun to see things quite differently.  It is like I have been given a more accurate prescription to see the beautiful details of life, though it also comes with a bit of sadness as I see the desperate needs of those struggling or in pain.  Still, I don’t want to live seeing blurry anymore.  How about you?

Lord, help all your people to see our fellow man through Your eyes and heart

     And help us to love every man the way You do.

The Hawk

       It sat on the wire early one morning watching the sun rise in the east.  The bird was big enough to be a hawk, but I wasn’t sure.  It didn’t seem to move at all except for its small white feathers being ruffled by the gentle breeze.  Perhaps it was awaiting the warmth of the new day before it took off, or maybe it was enjoying the brilliance of colour and light.  Whatever it was doing, it seemed to be in a very content and peaceful place.

       A lot of the times when I have realized my own discontentment, it has always factored down to one basic lack… that of deliberately spending time in God’s presence.  He is like the sun to us.  He brings us life, warmth, spectacular colour and Light.  Reading His Word, praying, and meditating on Him can all be done without feeling His presence.  Yet it is feeling His presence that brings us contentment, peace and joy into our lives.  We can enter into His presence if we want to- anytime.  He tore the veil in two to say just that! (Mat. 27:51)

       I want to be like that bird on the wire just watching as the Son rises in my heart and in my life.  I want to feel the presence of the Lord in my life- all the time if possible.  I want to experience His abundant life daily (John 10:10) and for Him to warm up any coldness left in my heart. (Mat. 24:12) I want to see His spectacular beauty (Ps. 90:17) and to know His Light (Ps. 36:9) as He guides me on my way. (Ps. 119:105)

Let us all bask in His glory!

Early Writing about Christians 3

       They say you can’t judge a book by its cover.  Once you read that book however, you are better able to evaluate it.  We are all living epistles of Christ known and read of all men. (2Cor. 3:2,3)  That means the people around us are reading us (continually in every setting and situation they find us in), and they will evaluate us based on our love, (John 13:35), fruit (Luke 6:44) and all our other actions, words, ethics, integrity, behaviours, and so on- just like we evaluate them! 

       Our love will be proven not just in our words, but in our actions- and people will usually feel if it is genuine.  The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self-control (Gal. 5:22,23 ASV) in all goodness and righteousness and truth; (Eph. 5:9)  That’s a lot to live up to, yet it should be what we strive for as we live in intimacy with God.  Here are more writings about early Christians:

Lucius M. Piso  201 to 300 AD

 “But these Christians seem to be a harmless people.” (undamaging, safe)

“But they have no religion that anybody can call such.  They have no gods, nor altars, nor sacrifices; such can never be harmless…However all this may be, there seems to be some charm about them or their worship, for all the world is running after them….

They had ever impressed me as a simple-minded, virtuous community, of notions too subtle and spiritual for the world ever to receive, but which upon themselves appeared to exert a power altogether beneficial.  Many of this faith I had known well, and they were persons to excite my highest admiration for the characters which they bore…

Lactantius  240-320 AD

“If we all derive our origin from one man, whom God created, we are plainly all of one family. Therefore it must be considered an abomination to hate another human, no matter how guilty he may be. For this reason, God has decreed that we should hate no one, but that we should eliminate hatred. So we can comfort our enemies by reminding them of our mutual relationship. For if we have all been given life from the same God, what else are we but brothers? ... Because we are all brothers, God teaches us to never do evil to one another, but only good—giving aid to those who are oppressed and experiencing hardship, and giving food to the hungry.”

In the third century the plague swept across the ancient world.  Christians were predominantly the ones to care for the sick risking catching the plague themselves.  Others would go so far as to throw newly infected family members into the street to protect themselves from infection.*

There was an actor who went to the church elders (1) to see if he should quit his job since it was full unholy practices.  They advised the man to quit and he did.  Upon asking the elders ‘above’ them (2) what were the man’s next steps since he had no other skills, the elders (2) said to make sure the man had enough money to live, and if they (elders 1) couldn’t provide for him, then send him to the elders (2) and they would take care of him.  In other words, elders (2) were willing to care for a total stranger- another believer- for an undetermined length of time.**

Recap:

True Christians were a harmless people.  (Do not cause damage, are safe)

There were appealing somehow for all the world runs after them.

They were virtuous. (honourable, moral, righteous, honest)

They bore a power. (Hmm… Holy Spirit power?)

They aroused admiration for their character.  (nature, temperament, personality, disposition, spirit)

They considered ALL humans as God created and worthy of treatment as a brother giving aid and food.

They chose not to hate, and comforted their enemies.

*They put their own lives at risk to help others.

**They made sure all brothers were taken care of.

Which of these statements (and those in the previous two posts) would the world make of you?

I can't answer for you because I'm busy looking through the lists at me!