More than Meets the Eye

Things are not always what they seem. Often there is more going on below the surface that we are not able to see. Our clearness of vision, termed, visual acuity, is dependent not only on eye’s retinal focus but also on the brains interpretation of it. So even if you have 20/20 vision or the “eagle eye” of 20/10 vision there is still room for misinterpretation. In fact, scientists have shown that the eyes can’t always be trusted because the brain processes “perceived” sizes of things rather than actual size. Our processing systems can give us faulty information and interpretation. I think we have all had times where we found this to be true in our own lives. People and situations are often more complex, interesting and meaningful than they appear at first glance. Life is complicated with many parts at play, more than meets the eye. So it is important to remember that there is more going on than only what we see. Don’t stop looking just stop assuming what you see is all there is.

“I don’t think the way you think. The way you work isn’t the way I work.” God’s Decree

Isaiah 55:8 MSG

God’s ways are not ours. He is so great and so outside of all we can ask or imagine. I am so thankful and so glad that He sees beyond what I see and works in ways higher than my mind could ever fathom. However, this poses problems at times when things don’t make sense to me, when He doesn’t do what I think He should, or when He does things differently than I thought He would. We see over and over throughout the Scripture that God is working for the GOOD in ways so far beyond what we see and beyond what we think of what we see. Yet, we miss Him unable to see that God is working in ways beyond what we can perceive. The Israelites desert time was their saving, Joseph’s imprisonment led to the saving of him family and country, Jesus’ death on a cross was not the death of hope but rather the life of it. We’ve read the stories and experienced our own stories, so now in the midst of our hard spot let us remember even here God is working. When it comes to God we can know that there is always more than meets the eye. He is always on the job, always at work, and always doing more than our minds perceive. We can trust Him with His ways even when they are not ours.

A Little Goes a Long Way

“Words can give encouragement, encouragement can give confidence and confidence can strengthen you to dare to do the difficult.”

Loren Thornburg

Recently I passed by a boy learning to ride his bike. As I passed by I complemented him on what a good job he was doing. With those few simple words he looked at me with a huge smile that lit up his face and caused him to ride harder and stronger. Now with kids it can be easier to express what a good job they are doing and how proud we are of them. We recognize their need to hear these words as they are learning and growing. Yet as I reflected on the huge smile of the little boy I realized how much I too need that encouragement. I can recall many times where people have spoken an encouraging word to me that gave me the help and strength to do that which I didn’t think I could do. It looks different as we grow and mature but the need is the same. We may think we shouldn’t need it, or think we’re too old to smile like the child when we get it, but we’re not. So lets be people that share encouragement that brings life...everyone needs it.

“Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.”

Proverbs 12:25 NLT

God knows better than any the encouragement that we need. He also knows the ways that worry can keep us from the encouragement we need. The bible is full of His invitations to give our worry to Him and His invitation to receive the words of encouragement spoken over us. He can bring words that speak life to the depths of our souls. He is a creative God able to bring encouragement in so many different ways. Often the way He chooses to do that is through people. He uses you and me to speak words of life, to strengthen, to bring support, to give confidence for us to do that which we were ready to give up on doing. So now lets be a part of His life giving encouragement. He is inviting you to His encouragement and also to be a part of sharing that with others.

Guarding Ground

“Ground has been taken, you’ve overcome; don’t give it back, remember what’s been won.”

Loren Thornburg

No soldier would fight and risk his life just to give the enemy his hard-fought victory. Now most of us, thankfully, do not know the full of what it means to battle with our lives on the line, but we all have had battles in our lives. We battle contentment, depression, insecurities, hopelessness, lies, fears, and so much more. As we have all battled, we have also all experienced victory in different areas and at different levels. Unfortunately, I have found that although I have had victories I forget these victories and at times I can easily go back to how it was before I overcame. It sounds absurd, like the soldier giving up his victory, yet it’s easy to do when you are accustomed to functioning a certain way. The good news is that as it was overcome once it can be reclaimed again. We don’t have to go back to the way things were. Remember your victories and guard the ground that’s been won!

“Rather, I make myself guilty if I rebuild the old system I already tore down.”

Galatians 2:18 NLT

Paul is battling here for the freedom that comes with grace as many were inclined to add laws and rules to it. Jesus came so that we no longer needed the old system of rules and laws, he tore it down. Yet, for many different reasons people continued to live enslaved to the laws even though freedom from them had been offered. Paul says that system of laws has been tore down so don’t rebuild it, rather live in the freedom of grace. The grace of Jesus has allowed us to tear down many of our systems of doing things that don’t bring freedom. He has spoken His truth to our lies and broken the ways that they have kept us from freedom. Let’s keep the lies broken and our lives free. It can be tempting at times to rebuild the old familiar systems and ways we used to do things, yet they don’t bring freedom. You’ve been set free! Let’s stay free!

VIP

“Your life is a privilege, a rare opportunity given to you...live like it.”

Loren Thornburg

I recently got to go to a concert as VIP. Those three initials, Very Important Person, represent a position of status and privilege because of someone’s importance.

When I drove up to the concert and walked up to will call I would not have been recognized as VIP, but once I was given that badge of access that changed. I noticed something different in wearing the badge. I walked different because I felt privileged to have this rare opportunity; to not have to wait in the long line, to enter the arena before the masses and to sit up close directly facing the performers. I took note of the way that I identified with being VIP in a way that changed things and wondered how could I “wear the badge” when I wasn’t wearing the badge. How might things change if I realized that in life outside of the concert arena I have been given privilege and a rare opportunity to live my life? It is a story unlike anyone else ever has or ever will live and it is important. So often I think I need a badge to make me important and so I walk around as NVI, Not Very Important. Yet, who we are is a rare opportunity. Even when badge-less my life is VIP. Knowing that I can appreciate the VIP-ness in others too.

“Indeed, of Zion it will be said, “This one and that one were born in her, and the Most High himself will establish her.” The Lord will write in the register of the peoples: “This one was born in Zion.””

Psalm 87:5-6 NIV

The Lord Himself establishes you. He gives you a badge that says, “Son or Daughter of the King.” As He established Zion so He establishes you, as one who is privileged. We have been given access to His power, His authority and to God Himself. Now if that’s not a privilege I don’t know what is. It’s not anything we have to do, but He sees us right as we are and sets us on a firm and permanent foundation as His kid’s, His own. He looks at us, who trust in Him and says, “That one is Mine” and that means something. It means everything. It means I am taken care of, my identity has been settled and I no longer have to try to settle it. I don’t have to look for things and ways to prove that I am important. It has already been determined by the Most High Himself.