Category: Sunsets
Seeing the Invisible
When we wish to know the worth of a diamond we take it to a jeweler who takes his magnifying glass and looks at the color, counts the facets and so forth. If we need to sell a property we first call an appraiser who comes and looks carefully at it inside and out to ascertain its market value.While our practice is to value a thing according to its appearance God sees entirely differently.
Consider the story of the widow who gave her two mites. The disciples were quite surprised when Jesus told them that she had given more than all the others. They had clearly seen with their own eyes the two tiny copper coins fall from her hand into the offering box. But what they had seen was nothing in comparison to what Jesus saw of the inner beauty of her love, sacrifice and faith.
In a different circumstance Jesus sat down for dinner with a well dressed wealthy Pharisee named Simon. During their meal the pleasantness of the scene was harshly interrupted by a weeping woman who burst into the room and began kissing the feet of Jesus and wiping them clean with her hair. Simon was shocked! It was well known in his community what flagrant sins this woman had committed. How dare she enter his house, and furthermore how could Jesus (If He really were a prophet) allow himself to be touched by someone like her?
Yet Jesus saw the circumstances quite differently than Simon or you or I. Jesus neither saw the fine tableware nor savored the delicate cuisine. Jesus hadn’t at all been impressed by the beautiful columns or the handcrafted door at the entry of Simon’s home. Instead Jesus saw the cold lack of Simon’s heart. Jesus had noticed that Simon had not given him the customary kiss on the cheek, or offered water for his feet to be washed. Jesus saw quite clearly instead the depth of repentance and gratitude of this woman and treasured that.
God does not see things as we see them and as we enter this new year my prayer is for God to give me His own 20/20 heavenly vision. I earnestly beg and plead to see the value that He sees in others and the worthlessness of so many things to which I cling so tightly. The challenges that we face this year can only be met when seeing and valuing the invisible things of God’s
eternal worth.
As we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18
We’ll Meet Face to Face
We’ll Meet Face to Face
Am I learning to be thankful in the way you told me to?
To have that true and faithful heart that trusts the whole day through?
Will I walk with blinders on seeing just my own small world?
Or can I find the grace and strength to bind another’s wounds?
When weakness looms I pull the shades and double lock my door
No limping step, no bleeding lip, no bruises cuts or sores
No fever hot, no icy chills, no loss of any kind
Will I accept within my home just sweet and sunny times
Yet in the silence of the night when sleep is sliding by
I awake with faith and doubt engaging in a fight
The Spirit stirs and takes a stand while flesh just moans and sighs
Then in my weakest moment when I feel I can’t keep on
My Savior stoops and picks me up and holds me in His arms
Son you see these troubles come
While we are in this world
There is a Battle in your soul
To turn you from the goal
But set your eyes upon the prize
That pearl of greatest price
Is waiting for you in my hands
When we meet face to face
God is preaching His Sermon
Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. Psalm 19:2
In the storms my God shouts with a loud thunderclap
While on my windows He whispers with the gentle rain’s tap
In my mornings He speaks like the sweet robin’s song
And He calls me to action with the breaking of dawn
With each day my God gives another sermon begins
When I listen I remember He’s forgiven my sins
Then at noonday He pauses and calls me to rest
Because there’s work to be done before His sunsets
Last rays of sun on the pond
Some silent moments it seems that God paints with a fine brush. They swipe just a slash of color across this day’s canvas as if to say. “He is here and is waiting to speak with you just on the other side of the door.”
Changing your point of view
Ephesians 2:6 and God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus
The danger of the mountain depends on whether you are standing at the top or at the bottom. God’s in the business of changing our point of view!
My Song of Life
One prayer that I have
That I ask Jesus for
Is that He will help me to sing
As I face every storm
That when waves wind and fear
Try to drown my small boat
That my voice will be strong
And my heart stays on note
That my ears will be open
To hear angels sing
To the Lamb on the throne
Our Heavenly King
Then with hands lifted up
And my heart for His ways
I will give Him my soul
As my gift of praise
Then to the verse that began
Way back at the start
When I first trusted Jesus
And He entered my heart
Is added a chorus
And a bridge that can reach
Over darkness and storm
To the place at His feet
Where my breath becomes His
When my work here is done
And I finish the verse
That on earth I’ve begun
And I lift up my voice
In a loud joyful song
May my last verse be finished
At my Father’s throne
