Wednesday, June 8, 2022
The Son is shining...
I was driving to the car dealer to have my car serviced listening to the radio. I heard the song Perfection by Switch. A portion of the lyrics go like this:
"Cause when all I see are the flaws, you see perfection, perfection ...Looking through this mess of a heart, you see perfection, perfection
Show me what's behind your eyes. Don't think I can trust in mine. When all I see are the flaws, you see perfection, perfection...."
I struggle greatly with perfectionism.....I will beat myself up over the smallest imperfections.... those I see in myself....those I determine to be imperfect......I was pondering that thought like I have a million times before, as I listened to that song, and for a crazy few seconds in my mind's eye I saw this visual: Someone (Jesus) was standing there in a white robe.... another person (me) walked right through it.....the robe was dirty but the person (me) came out glowingly white on the other side. In an instant I thought of this verse:
"......he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him....."
Colossians 1:22
Everytime I make a mistake, anytime I make a bad choice, when I'm ugly, unkind....whenever I sin...it is "processed" through that white robe, Jesus Christ himself, not my own grid, and I am completely spotless and blameless on the other side.
Holy, blameless and above reproach (these words show that in Jesus we are pure and can’t even be justly accused of impurity (EWC)......why, when I know these things to be true, is it still so hard to grasp that he loves me THAT much? I am made pure, not by any of my striving, "simply" by Christ's death.
This was such a powerful visual of Jesus taking my impurities and filtering them out, so that, I am not my ugly self before my God. I can't stop thinking about it!! Just maybe God knew it was exactly what I needed on this day in this moment. This, again, is such a powerful example of head knowledge becoming heart knowing. All of us who accept Christ as our personal Savior know that Jesus took our sins to the cross. But there's a working out over time, through the sludge of life's circumstances... individual, no two the same. And when the lightbulb goes off it's sweet....light given in a way you don't expect, personally for you, and you can't ever forget it....even if you try.
That said, I am not without responsibility. Just because I'm saved and sealed doesn't mean I can live a life that is in opposition to God.
"....if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister."
Colossians 1:23
I must continue to walk in my salvation......and it's hard...for the believer AND the unbeliever. No one is promised a life without pain, heartache, suffering, hardships.....but without Jesus this life is all there is....I live with the certainty that there IS more...beyond the pain and suffering! I live with great anticipation that I will see again my husband and all those who proclaim Christ as Lord. All will be made new and perfect.
When God called me to be still months ago, though I resisted at first, I surrendered.... finally..... I'm realizing with more clarity than ever before what a gift and privilege it is to be called daughter...to KNOW him, to have his friendship and a close, personal relationship with the One who knows me better than I think I know myself. The time I've been given to know him better is a gift ..though until recently, I didn't realize how precious it was and continues to be.
God shows me something, big or small, every single day. Sometimes in the quiet morning and sometimes when the world or my circumstances are really loud....he's always working....if I don't see it it's not because it's not there....this morning I'm waiting...waiting is hard....and if waiting isn't hard enough it's about my grandchild this time. See, life doesn't stop. You're not just tossed one trial at a time. They can overlap.
"When it rains, it pours, but soon the sun shines again."
How many times I've said that quote...this morning I thought:
"When it rains, it's pours, but the SON is always shining."
True story! When all else is, at least, irritating or at worst, overwhelming, the SON is still shining.
"I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you— the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore."
Psalms 121:1-8
God's Word...such beauty....amazing provision....glorious promises....all inclusive to those who call on his name.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Rest in his arms....
"Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If ...

-
"He who was seated on the throne said, “I AM MAKING EVERYTHING NEW!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy a...
-
For some reason God has been directing me towards the book of Revelation for a few days now. Definitely not an easy book to understand but...
-
"Blessed are those you choose and bring near to live in your courts! We are filled with the good things of your house, of your holy tem...
No comments:
Post a Comment