part 2: Awakening Love
Kind of seemed like a theme for the week when I was writing the last post. Sunday started with Song of Songs in the car, but I was reminded over and over of this theme of awakening love.
The sermon on Sunday morning was a reminder of some aspects of God's character: A reminder that there is "clock and calendar time" and there is "spiritual time". We can't understand what is beyond our own perception: that dimension of existence outside of time. So we try to understand the greatness of God and His love for us, but it's impossible. We can compare it to the unconditional love we experience in human relationships, but we still need to have faith to understand that God's love is so much more.
Later on Sunday evening, we met for Fellowship and Bible study with friends. Again, I was reminded of awakening love... Somehow while studying Phililppians 3 where Paul speaks of his own experience of being a "perfect" Jew and following all the laws and traditions. He meets Christ and suddenly his life it turned upside down. He realizes that all his own accomplishment is rubbish compared to the privilege of knowing Christ. "All I want is Christ and to know that I belong to Him." (CEV)
I started glimpsing something new. I can't say it is a spiritual truth, exactly. I just got a piece of understanding that I can relate to. One of those moments that brings us to a little clearer understanding of God's love for us. There was this point brought up in the discussion that Paul had an incredible sense of who he was in Christ. It could even seem he was bragging if taken out of context. It is just that he understood how perfect Jesus's sacrifice was; he understood how complete the forgiveness of sin is; he understood how GOD sees us because of Jesus IN us. I got this tiny peek...
You know when love awakens. You see this person differently than others see him. You see him as wonderful, glowing with potential... you see him with "sparkle". You know in your head that he isn't perfect, but that doesn't matter. There is nothing so grave that it overcomes the glow. What if God sees us with the "sparkle" on? When He looks at one forgiven could He be seeing with that "outside of time" perspective? Seeing us as how we WILL be in Heaven? Because He isn't limited by time, what will be already is. He's not blind to our faults, but they are not central to our being when He sees us IN CHRIST.
It has been said that "love is blind" and that being in love is like living in a haze brought on by that intense attraction that nature provides. BUT what if it isn't temporary blindness or a chemical imbalance? What if it is just a glimpse of seeing as God sees? When I think about it, I am reminded to press on toward that goal! The goal of being sparkling clean in the presence of God. The goal of fulfilling the potential God has for each me. The goal of BEING what I was created to BE.
Maybe so, maybe not. For me, it is a helpful perspective. I'll try to accept that God can see my "sparkle" and I'll try to see it in others, too. So, let your light shine... it is probably brighter than you think!
The sermon on Sunday morning was a reminder of some aspects of God's character: A reminder that there is "clock and calendar time" and there is "spiritual time". We can't understand what is beyond our own perception: that dimension of existence outside of time. So we try to understand the greatness of God and His love for us, but it's impossible. We can compare it to the unconditional love we experience in human relationships, but we still need to have faith to understand that God's love is so much more.
Later on Sunday evening, we met for Fellowship and Bible study with friends. Again, I was reminded of awakening love... Somehow while studying Phililppians 3 where Paul speaks of his own experience of being a "perfect" Jew and following all the laws and traditions. He meets Christ and suddenly his life it turned upside down. He realizes that all his own accomplishment is rubbish compared to the privilege of knowing Christ. "All I want is Christ and to know that I belong to Him." (CEV)
I started glimpsing something new. I can't say it is a spiritual truth, exactly. I just got a piece of understanding that I can relate to. One of those moments that brings us to a little clearer understanding of God's love for us. There was this point brought up in the discussion that Paul had an incredible sense of who he was in Christ. It could even seem he was bragging if taken out of context. It is just that he understood how perfect Jesus's sacrifice was; he understood how complete the forgiveness of sin is; he understood how GOD sees us because of Jesus IN us. I got this tiny peek...
You know when love awakens. You see this person differently than others see him. You see him as wonderful, glowing with potential... you see him with "sparkle". You know in your head that he isn't perfect, but that doesn't matter. There is nothing so grave that it overcomes the glow. What if God sees us with the "sparkle" on? When He looks at one forgiven could He be seeing with that "outside of time" perspective? Seeing us as how we WILL be in Heaven? Because He isn't limited by time, what will be already is. He's not blind to our faults, but they are not central to our being when He sees us IN CHRIST.
It has been said that "love is blind" and that being in love is like living in a haze brought on by that intense attraction that nature provides. BUT what if it isn't temporary blindness or a chemical imbalance? What if it is just a glimpse of seeing as God sees? When I think about it, I am reminded to press on toward that goal! The goal of being sparkling clean in the presence of God. The goal of fulfilling the potential God has for each me. The goal of BEING what I was created to BE.
Maybe so, maybe not. For me, it is a helpful perspective. I'll try to accept that God can see my "sparkle" and I'll try to see it in others, too. So, let your light shine... it is probably brighter than you think!
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