I opened my blinds this morning, only to behold a winter fairy land outdoors. Hoar frost clung to everything that reached toward the skies. What an unexpected sight to behold! I had expected to see the same view that I had yesterday and the day before...that of a very drab, worn out looking landscape, vascilating between winter and spring, patchwork sections of snow and grass. But this morning was sparkling, fresh, and lovely.
Often, I go through life the same way...expecting to see the same drab scenery that was the past. Sometimes, not even bothering to open my blinds, I stay in my bubble of low and humdrum expectations. God doesn't let me stay there long, though. When I am in His Word, and spending time in prayer and fellowship with other believers, He changes my perspective. My to do list becomes opportunities to serve, or to grow. My job becomes an opportunity to share His love, my family become the people that I want to be kindest to, my sadnesses become opportunities to bare my soul to the One and Only Lord Jesus, who loves me and who will make "beauty out of ashes".
1 Corinthians 13:12 says "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part;then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known."
On the tails of the great "love chapter" in which we are given a beautiful picture of love, this verse reminds us that right now, we see things through our drab, humdrum glasses - glasses which do not always show the glorious views we are promised when we draw close to God. As we grow in our knowledge and understanding of God and who He is, the view we get of Him through our "window" becomes transformed. We see Him more clearly and are in awe of His beauty and majesty. But the journey begins with knowledge, discipline, faith, loyalty and trust. We are also promised the following:
1 John 3:2 -" Beloved, we are God's children now and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure."
Can you imagine the view from our window on that day? We will behold him who will far exceed our expectations....and we will get to be like him. The drab patchwork pieces that we think have made up our lives will be transformed - we will see our lives and ourselves the way he does. We will gaze in awe at this Christ, whom we thought we knew, and find him far greater than we could ever expect or imagine. Oh, glorious day!
