Month: March 2021

For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face

1 Corinthians 13:12a

At this Easter season, our hearts turn especially to the amazing gift of salvation that Jesus made possible as He died on the cross for the sins of all who would believe in Him and receive Him as Lord and Savior. Because of His death and resurrection, we have the promise of seeing Him face to face and spending eternity in heaven with Him!

Ever since studying art history, English literature, and the history of Western civilization in college as an adult, I have had the desire to travel and visit the places I have only seen on large screens in the lecture hall or read about in books.  I traveled with a friend on a two-week trip to England soon after we graduated.  Wandering through palaces and castles where many hundreds of years of history have unfolded was an unforgettable experience.  We stood in the bedchamber where King Henry VIII slept four centuries ago and walked through the castle built by the order of William the Conqueror near the end of the 11th century.  We attended a service in the magnificent Canterbury Cathedral where Archbishop Thomas a’ Becket was martyred in the 12th century. We climbed the steps where thousands had come to see his shrine hoping for miracles of healing, pilgrimages that inspired Chaucer’s writing of The Canterbury Tales.  We strolled through art galleries and viewed the original paintings of my favorite Impressionist artists.  We visited the British Museum and saw the original manuscripts of some of the British authors and poets we had both studied so diligently.

            As I reflected on how much greater it is to see these relics of history in person than to merely read about them in textbooks or view them as a slide show, it made me think of what it will be like when we see our Father face to face in heaven.  Scripture tells us that now we see him as through a mirror dimly (1 Corinthians 13:12).  It’s like trying to see in a foggy mirror after a hot shower.  We can’t see a clear image.   We can read about God in the Bible and know Him personally through the indwelling Holy Spirit.  But it is only a shadow of what it will be like when we stand in His presence. 

            Right now, in the limitations of our human body, we could not even see Him in all His glory and live.  But someday we will be changed, and we will be able to stand in His presence and see Him in the fullness of His majesty and glory.  We can read about heaven in the Bible and try to imagine what it will be like, but we are told that things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the human heart, all that God has prepared for those who love Him (1 Corinthians 2:9). 

            We can’t even begin to imagine what it will be like!  The most magnificent cathedral with the sun gleaming through the stained-glass windows and the angelic sound of a boys’ choir filling the vast heights cannot begin to compare with what is yet to come when someday we will be with God in person.  Every knee will bow …and every tongue will confess that Jesus Chris is Lord (Philippians 2:9-11).

            Castles, palaces, works of art, entire civilizations come and go, but God is the same yesterday, today and forever.  And we can be assured that someday we will no longer have to see just a shadow of His glory — we will see Him face to face. 

PERSONAL REFLECTION

Are you putting your faith and hope in anything besides God — financial security, material possessions, a career, physical ability, talents, a husband or wife, children?  All of these are temporary, even if you have them for your entire life here on earth.

Are you spending your life on things that will wither and fade away?  Or are you living your life in the truth of God’s Word, that only what is done for Him, through the strength and ability He provides, will last for all eternity?

Take time to evaluate before God how you are living the life He has given you.  What will be your response when you see Him face to face?  Will it be one of joyful fulfillment of the growing relationship you have had with Him here? 

What changes do you need to make in your life in light of the truth that only the Word of our God stands forever?

Whatever a man sows, this he will also reap…and let us not become discouraged in doing good, for in due time we shall reap, if we do not grow weary.

Galatians 6:7-9

Sowing and reaping used in these verses give us the picture of planting seeds in the ground and the assurance of a harvest to come.  Long ago, a friend gave me the leaf of a plant so I could start my own.  She instructed me to put the leaf in water until roots were established, then plant it in a pot and wait for new leaves to appear.  She said that the new leaves would start at the roots before they were visible above the soil.  After what seemed like a very long time, I became impatient and began digging under the soil to see if any new leaves were being produced.  In the process, I broke off the parent leaf and, out of frustration, threw the whole thing in the garbage.

            I’ve read these verses in Galatians many times in the past, but I often need to be reminded of the message.  In the past, I volunteered at a drug and alcohol recovery program.  There were several times when I found myself asking “Why am I doing this?”  It is heartbreaking to work with people who have made the decision to make a change in their lives, to recover from their addiction, and then suddenly leave the program and go back to the drugs and alcohol.  When I began to question why I was doing this, the answer was always the same.  God reminded me that I was there because this is where He wanted me to be. 

            Whatever God has called us to do, that is what is “good.”  And He encourages us not to lose heart in doing good.  Don’t give up.  Maybe you are a parent struggling with the frustrations that come with being responsible for preschoolers day and night. Or perhaps you have an extremely difficult employer .  Maybe your marriage is not going the way you would like it to and you’re tired of trying to make it better.  Ask God to show you if you are where He wants you to be.  Ask Him for the resources to continue to be faithful and to give you His strength for what He has called you to do.

            Jesus tells us, Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit (John 12:24). He is speaking of our lives.  Have you made the commitment to “die” to your own desires and demands and to ask the Lord to give you His new life?  That is the only way our lives will ever produce the harvest of eternal fruit.

            We may never see all the fruit of the seeds that have been planted in the lives of the people we work with, but God promises there will be fruit.  If we are faithful to God in the ministry He has called us to, that is all that matters.  In everything we do, we are to do it as unto Him.  He is responsible for producing the fruit.  If we are “sowing” God’s seeds, we can be assured of a fruitful harvest.

PERSONAL REFLECTION

Where has God called you to “sow?”  Is it in your family?  Your marriage?  Your church? Your neighborhood?  Your job?  School?  Caring for elderly parents?

Consider your attitude toward the place God has called you.  Are you serving as unto Him?  Are you willing to continue “sowing” even if you are not able to see the “fruit?”

Are you discouraged about where you are right now?  Ask God to show you if you are where He wants you to be. 

Are you willing to die to your own desires and demands in order to be where God wants you to be?  Ask Him to make you willing to be like the grain of wheat that must fall into the ground and die before it can bear fruit.

Remember that we are only responsible to sow faithfully where God has placed us.  He is responsible for producing the fruitful harvest.

Those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run and not get tired; they will walk and not become weary.

Isaiah 40:31

What does it mean to wait for the Lord?  Think of servants waiting upon a master.  They don’t act on their own initiative. They wait for instructions and strive to please the master, and they obey without question.

            Waiting for clear direction and answers to prayer is difficult for most of us.  We want a clear answer right now.  At times we may begin to doubt whether we will hear the Lord when He does answer.  When I struggle with waiting, I remind myself of the truth in Isaiah 30:21 And your ears will hear a word behind you, ‘This is the way, walk in it’ whenever you turn to the right or to the left.  I am convinced that if we truly seek guidance from the Lord and are willing to follow whatever He says, He will guide us.  It may not come exactly according to our time schedule, and we may not get the answer we want to hear, but His answer will come.  In the meantime, we are to wait patiently until we do hear His answer (Psalm 37:7).

            One of my favorite Scripture illustrations of waiting on the Lord is the account of Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus. She sat quietly listening to Him as He taught.  Her sister, Martha, was busy in the kitchen preparing food for the guests.  Of course, that was a necessary activity, but it was Martha’s attitude that Jesus pointed out when she complained that Mary wasn’t helping her.  Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by so many things; but only a few things are necessary, really only one (Luke 10:41).  Jesus told her that Mary had chosen the good part which shall not be taken away from her.

            Being bothered and distracted is the opposite of waiting upon the Lord.  I really notice the difference in my life when I am not spending quality quiet time alone with the Lord.  Soon everything gets a little out of focus and I don’t have clear direction about how to spend my time each day.  Little things that normally wouldn’t bother me get blown out of proportion and somehow seem frustrating or unmanageable.

            Jesus Himself set the example for us to follow.  He would get up while it was still dark and go to a place where He could be alone with the Father (Mark 1:35).  He could talk over the coming events and receive the Father’s wisdom and direction to accomplish His will.

            Years ago, I would get up early every morning (even Saturday and Sunday) to have a quiet time.  But I have to admit my attitude was not right.  I was doing it out of a sense of duty.  After all, isn’t this what a good Christian has to do daily?  Often, I would fall asleep reading the Bible, or my mind would wander as I had the Bible study notebook open on my lap.  This was not productive and couldn’t have been very pleasing to God.  I began to ask the Lord to change my attitude and give me a true desire to spend time with Him.  He has accomplished that change in me. Writing regularly in a journal is a helpful way to record ideas and insights from scripture, specific things that God is doing in my life, prayers for clear direction, Scriptures that have special meaning for me. I can look back and be encouraged by what the Lord is teaching me and clear answers to prayers for direction and wisdom.

            Once I have my time alone with God in the morning and commit the day and myself to Him, I trust that I am in tune with His perspective on what things are truly important.  I can then walk through each day with a calmness and stability that comes from complete dependence and trust in Him.

            This hymn beautifully describes the attitude of waiting on the Lord: 

“Have Thine own way, Lord, have Thine own way.  Thou art the potter, I am the clay.  Mold me and make me after Thy will, while I am waiting, yielded and still.”

If we too often find ourselves like Martha, worried and distracted by so many things, we can ask God to help us choose to sit quietly at His feet like Mary and focus on the things He shows us to do.  We will be able to go through each day with wisdom, strength and the peace He provides.

PERSONAL REFLECTION

In what ways do you identify with Martha?

In what ways do you identify with Mary?

Is time alone with God a priority in your life? 

Describe your present attitude toward Bible study, church attendance, and quiet times with the Father.

Ask Him to show what changes need to be made.

He lets me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters; He restores my soul…

Psalm 23:2-3

Years ago, I restored an old piece of furniture.  It was a solid wood dresser that my dad had built for me when I was a baby. It was just the right size and very sturdy, but it had been painted several times over the years with colors I would never choose again.  So, I began the process of stripping off the paint.  A lot of it came off with the first application of paint remover, and another application took off even more. I used sandpaper to remove the rest.  Once the old paint was completely removed, I stained it and we could finally use the beautifully finished product. It was a long process, but worth every moment!

            The Scripture about God restoring my soul came to mind after a time of walking away from the Lord and choosing my own way.  My soul — my mind, will and emotions — definitely needed to be restored.  I was confused and felt helpless to “fix” myself and my marriage. As I prayed and asked God to help me find my way back, He led me to a Christian counselor who was clearly His answer to my prayer.   The journey was long and painful, but even in the emotional pain, there was assurance that God was doing a work in me that would lead to emotional and spiritual healing. 

             The process that leads to restoration of a right relationship with God begins in our mind.  We are told in Romans 8:6-13 The mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace…If by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.  Just as layers of paint had to stripped away to restore my childhood dresser, so we have layers of “self” that need to be stripped away, sin that needs to be forgiven and cleansed in order to restore the beauty of the image of Christ in us. 

            Romans 12:2 instructs us to be transformed by the renewing of our mind.  How is our mind renewed?  We must choose not to give into the temptations Satan offers us.  Instead, we need to focus on truth. I’ll never forget a retreat speaker who encouraged us to check out every thought that comes to mind.  She said, “Philippians 4:8 it.”  That verse says, Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind think about these things.  We are to check every thought against this standard, and if it doesn’t meet the qualifications, don’t think about it!  We would save ourselves so much grief and pain and sin if we would follow this guideline. 

            A right relationship with God is restored immediately as we confess our sins and receive His forgiveness.  Restoration of our soul — mind, will, and emotions — takes time.  Healing will come as we focus on the truth of God’s Word, not on feelings, not on what we think we need to make us happy. 

PERSONAL REFLECTION

Read Romans 8:6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.

Is there an area of your life right now that needs to be restored? Have you been damaged by choices you have made yourself?  Have you been damaged by actions of someone else?

Ask the Lord to reveal the areas in your life that need to be restored.  Remember that the process of restoring your soul begins as you turn to the Lord and set your mind on His truth.  Trust Him to do the work in you to bring you back to a right relationship with Himself. 

He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. . .

Psalm l:3

Living through several years of drought in California gave me a new appreciation for rain.  I used to think of rain as just a nuisance, something that would spoil my plans for a tennis match or a hike.  Those who have lived in drought conditions remember the changes that occur — landscaping dies as strict water rationing is enforced; the hillsides that were once lush and green turn dry and brown, and the danger of fire increases dramatically. Things we once took for granted, like washing the car, taking long showers, even flushing the toilet after every use, become strongly discouraged luxuries.

            Have you ever experienced a spiritual drought?  God seems far away.  The desire to spend time with Him is gone.  The time spent with Him out of sheer obedience seems unproductive and ineffective.  I remember times like that when I even began to question whether or not I am really a Christian.  Surely a true Christian would not feel so out of touch with God or have so little desire for fellowship with Him.  Unfortunately, the problem is magnified as we follow our feelings and choose to isolate ourselves, not only from God, but from church, Christian friends or other opportunities for fellowship.

            Many have experienced this feeling of distance from God at some time in their Christian life.  For me personally, it has been the result of disobedience.  I made the choice to go my own way instead of listening to God. I began to think that God wouldn’t even want me to come back to Him.  I didn’t deserve to ask Him for help.

            These thoughts could not be further from the truth. One thing is certain:  God does not intend for us to continue in spiritual drought. Scriptures tell us that God’s mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22).  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).  Jesus told the parable of the prodigal son whose father welcomed him back with great joy (Luke 15:11-24). 

            Isaiah 41:17-20 clearly shows God’s desire to restore life to our dry and thirsty souls:

The poor and needy are seeking water, but there is none, and their tongues are parched with thirst; I, the Lord, will answer them Myself; as the God of Israel, I will not abandon them.  I will open rivers on the bare heights, and springs in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land fountains of water…that they may see and recognize, and consider and gain insight as well, that the hand of the Lord has done this, and the Holy One of Israel has created it.

PERSONAL REFLECTION

Is your current walk with the Lord better characterized by “spring rain” or “drought?”  If your answer is “spring rain,” take time now to thank God for the refreshing sense of His presence you are enjoying.

If your answer is “drought,” ask the Lord to reveal anything that needs to be confessed and forgiven.   Ask Him what He wants to teach you during the drought period.  These desert experiences can provide rich times of learning. Trust that He will restore you in His time and create fountains of renewal and refreshment.  Write your prayer of response to Him.