Week 26 Like a child 

I attended a lovely retreat in Wisconsin this past week. On day 1 we each received a unique ‘journey’ picture. Photos taken by a couple of talented photographers on the team, these pictures were to be taken into our quiet time with the Lord so he could share personal messages with each of us over the course of the week. I got this beautiful picture of a fawn under a picnic table. 
Deb, the photographer shared how she caught the pic under a picnic table and how peacefully the little deer posed for the shot.

As I looked at that precious animal I asked myself some questions: Where is its mother? Why isn’t it running away? How does it even know to look at the camera?

Then the Lord shared these keywords: vulnerable, trusting, unsteady, resting, seeing, hearing, alone, childlike.

I choose to put it with this verse because I feel a sense of trust in this little vulnerable creature. Though its limbs wobble and cannot flee, it sits at rest without fear, as if it trusts that it is safe. Those large black eyes and alert ears consider the danger, but see something else in Deb, something beyond its natural understanding. Something innocent that draws the fawn into its own calling as an object lesson for me.

Oh that I can see the Truth in my hostile or scary surroundings and rest fearlessly as a child in His arms.

Proverbs 3:5-6   Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Photo credit to Deb Jelinek

Week 25 Seeing is Believing 

I love sunlight. 
And although children like to represent sunshine with the color yellow, I know that’s not what I actually see. In actuality I cannot even see sunlight, but I can see the vibrant results of its presence. 

With the correct tool, I can indeed see the actual makeup of light. A simple glass prism helps my eyes see what I cannot by myself. As light passes through a prism it breaks up into its component parts and comes out the other side as all the colors of a rainbow. 

I love what sunlight does for my vision, but what I can’t see with my natural eyes is even more stunning.

In the same manner, the Holy Spirit of wisdom and revelation allows me to better see my Heavenly Father, His riches in me, His power and Hope. Paul thought these were important enough that he prayed that we would have spiritual eyes wide open to see them.

And so I pray that the glorious Father may give us all the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that we may know Him better. I pray that the eyes of our hearts may be enlightened in order that we may know the hope to which He has called us, the riches of his glorious inheritance in us, His holy people, and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength He exerted when He raised Christ from the dead and seated him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.           Ephesians 1:17-21 NIV

Week 24 Seeing is Believing

This year I have learned that if my ‘vision’ is clear my earthly experience will be full of light, but if it is not clear I will see darkness. Viewed through the wrong lens, I will see brambles instead of blackberries, offense instead of grace, fear instead of love. And I will even defend my belief that I am indeed seeing properly.

I know this is Truth, yet why don’t I see clearly?

I am still seeing through the wrong eye, distorted by beams of offense and grievance. In Luke 6:41 the Greek word for plank, log or beam is dokos. Dokos does not mean any old piece of wood and it does not mean log. It means a supporting timber. If I judge anything when I am not perceiving through light, I will judge wrongly because I support my judgment without the light of God’s Truth. My truth must be disassembled in order to see.

Jesus said if I follow Him, I will never walk in darkness. As I follow Him, I let go of old grievances against myself, others and even my Father; I tear down these supports that have defined my view of the Kingdom. But, as I follow the Light of the world, I become the light of the world. And suddenly my eye is full of light, the beam is gone and I can freely build on a foundation of Truth. Then I will be able to lovingly help others follow the Lord.

Luke 6:41-42
Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you proclaim to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to help remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

Week 23 Seeing in the Dark

Life is interpreted through subtle perspective shifts. 

Consider Solomon, a man who sought God and His wisdom over riches. The wisdom he received is recorded in Proverbs, and the hopeless mental torment he endured is laid out in Ecclesiastes. How could a man who asked for God’s wisdom suggest that the life God has created has no meaning?

As I read Ecclesiastes 2, I realize at some point Solomon changed his perspective from His creator to the creation, mainly himself. I must admit, I am often guilty of this too.

       Verse 14-15, “And yet I perceive that the same events happen to all (wise and fools)…Then I said to myself…what do I gain?”

Instead of living each day fully alive trusting God, he refers to his observations of the past while forming questions about the future. This kind of self-talk is language from the serpent that once roamed the Garden.

At one time, Solomon knew where and who he was in God’s eyes. But with a judgment based on his natural vision, he could not see that God was for him in everything. 

        Verse 17, “So I hated my life.”

Fortunately, God cannot forsake us, and in His mercy He readjusts the vision of those who love Him but have been blinded by the darkening perceptions. And so, as Solomon ends this discourse, he has already readjusted his perspective. 

        Verse 25 “For apart from God who can eat or who can have enjoyment. For to the one who pleases Him, God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy.”

Finally the king comes to this conclusion in chapter 12 verse 13, “Fear God and keep His commandments for this is the whole duty of man.”

There is a game I sometimes play called ‘I Love Hue.’ It is a journey into color and perception. By Arranging mosaics of colored tiles into perfectly ordered spectrums, I bring order out of the chaos. But the subtle color changes can be hard to place in the correct spots. Sometimes I think I’ve got them in the correct place and then I’m stuck with one odd colored tile and have to readjust the other colors. I usually find that all I need to do is switch two squares and all the colors fall into place.  It’s all about seeing the colors correctly.

Week 22 Seeing in the Dark 

Matthew 6:19-34
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 

What things do I seek after and treasure? My Reputation, opinions, rights, traditions, history, family, stuff? I know I treasure them because I am willing to fight for them, trust them, justify them, ignore Truth for them. I should be thankful for those things yet still not treasure them. How do I store up treasure in heaven instead? 

The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! 

If my perception of the Kingdom is sound, then I will recognize Kingdom events in my life, even if it seems like darkness to everyone else. When I can only see the world with my natural eyes, I fumble around in offense. This kingdom does not have enough light to help me focus on Truth. If I believe the darkness I live in is the light, imagine how poorly I will be able to see when it becomes even darker.

No one can submit to two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot submit to both God and treasure.

The word ‘serve’ in this verse means submission. When my perception is full of light I can see that real treasure is to know and, therefore, trust God, so, should any of the temporary valuables be taken away, I am not devastated. But if I choose to see without the light then I will cling tightly to the wrong treasure. I CANNOT be devoted to my earthly treasure and God in the same moment. There will be a tug-of-war between loyalties. 

Therefore… seek the Kingdom.